By Emmanuel Kwada
Tragedy struck Kwapre Village in Hong Local Government Area yesterday evening, Saturday, April 26, 2025, as gunmen suspected to be members of the notorious Boko Haram insurgent group launched a deadly assault, killing 10 local vigilantes and leaving several others injured.
It was a horrific scene. We lost 10 brave men, and others are fighting for their lives at FMC Hong
The wounded were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Hong for urgent treatment, as confirmed by Hon. Hyella Anthony, a Kwapre indigene and former Councillor of Garaha Ward.
The attack, which occurred around dusk, marks yet another brutal episode in a wave of violence that has plagued the region. Hon. Anthony, visibly shaken, verified the incident, stating, “It was a horrific scene.
These gunmen came in large numbers, heavily armed, and overpowered our vigilantes who were trying to protect the village. We lost 10 brave men, and others are fighting for their lives at FMC Hong.”
The District Head of Dugwaba, Mr. Simon Yakubu, expressed deep anguish over the recurring attacks, noting that this was the fifth assault on villages in the area within the past two weeks.
Where then do we run to, especially now that the rainy season has approached?
Lamenting the frequency and ferocity of the raids, he highlighted the sophistication of the attackers’ weaponry and their sheer numbers, which have left local defenses woefully outmatched. “Where then do we run to, especially now that the rainy season has approached?” Mr. Yakubu pleaded, his voice heavy with desperation. “The government must intervene. We cannot continue like this.”
The District Head painted a grim picture of the broader impact, revealing that more than 15 villages, home to over 6,000 people, have been deserted as residents flee the relentless violence. “These evil forces are driving us from our homes,” he cried. “Our villages are turning into ghost towns, and our people are scattered, living in fear.”
Our villages are turning into ghost towns, and our people are scattered, living in fear
The attack on Kwapre Village underscores the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram and its affiliates in northeastern Nigeria, despite years of military efforts to curb their insurgency. Local leaders and residents are now urgently calling for increased security presence and resources to protect vulnerable communities, particularly as the rainy season complicates displacement and access to aid.
As of this morning, Sunday, April 27, 2025, authorities have yet to release an official statement on the incident, and the exact condition of the injured vigilantes remains unclear. The people of Kwapre and surrounding villages wait anxiously for a response, hoping for protection against a menace that shows no signs of relenting.
Read Also: Again another Adamawa community of Hong attacked by Boko Haram insurgents
