Boko Haram kills Emir of Gwoza, kidnaps others

 

 

Some members of the Boko Haram sect on Friday ambushed three emirs on the Biu–Azare-Garkida Road in Borno State.

The victims are the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrisa Timta; and his counterpart from Askira, Alhaji Abdullahi Askirama, and the Emir of Uba, Alhaji Ismaila Manza.

A security source said that Timta was killed by the attackers while Askirama and Manza were missing.

But the Defence Headquarters said Askirama and Manza were rescued by security personnel deployed in Garkida.

It was learnt that the emirs were on their way to Gombe to attend the burial of the late Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar, when they were attacked by the terrorists.

The source said the security details of the three emirs were also missing.

It was not clear whether the escorts were abducted or killed by the attackers.

However, the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, confirmed that the Emir of Gwoza died in the attack while security personnel deployed in Garkida rescued the emirs of Askira and Uba.

Olukolade, in a text message, said, “A band of terrorists attacked the emirs of Gwoza, Uba and Askira who were travelling to Gombe for the funeral of the late Emir of Gombe.

“Troops deployed in Garkida responded to the attack. The emirs of Uba and Askira were rescued, while the body of Emir of Gwoza, who died in the attack, has been recovered. Any other detail later please.”

A senior Borno State Government official, who did not want his name in print, said, “Government has been alerted about the sad development.”

A Gwoza resident, Ishaiku Ibrahim, told Reuters that the community had been thrown into sad mood over the incident.

He said, “I arrived in Maiduguri on Thursday and wanted to go back to Gwoza on Friday but my niece called and told me that the town was in sad mood because our emir was kidnapped.”

The emir of Askira and his Uba counterpart were travelling before they were ambushed by the gunmen and kidnapped.

A security source, who did not want his named mentioned, said the royal fathers were attacked by armed youths in Toyota Hillux vans and motorcycles.

The source said, “The security details attached to the monarchs exchanged fire with the gunmen for several minutes before the policemen were overpowered and the emirs bundled into a waiting vehicle and driven to unknown destination.

“Thirty minutes after the abduction, the Emir of Uba escaped and re-appeared to join us on the road while waiting for Emir of Gwoza.

“We waited for another two hours, but there was no sign of his being released. We, therefore, presumed that he must have been killed by the insurgents.”

The Secretary to Borno State Government, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda, confirmed the killing of Gwoza’s monarch in a statement on Friday.

The statement read, “The Borno State Government regrets to announce the unfortunate murder of His Royal Highness, the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta.

“The emir was killed around 9am today following a bloody attack by some gunmen believed to be members of the Boko Haram along Tashan Alade on the way to Biu town, headquarters of Biu Lo‎cal Government Area in Southern Borno State.

“The late emir was in company of the Emir of Askira, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibn Muhammadu Askirama and Emir of Uba, Alhaji Ali Ibn Ismaila Mamza, all of whom drove in the same vehicle as they headed to Biu to pick the Emir of Biu so they could all drive in convoy to Gombe ‎State to attend the funeral of the late Emir of Gombe who is scheduled for burial in Gombe today (Friday).”

“The late Emir of Gwoza had visited his counterpart, the Emir of Uba ‎yesterday and passed the night in Uba ahead of their planned trip today. The two emirs were, this morning, joined by the Emir of Askira. The three drove in the same vehicle with the intention of going to Biu to be joined by their counterpart in Biu.

“Unfortunately as they were driving in convoy to Biu, they were ambushed by gunmen around Tashan Alade, soon after passing Garkida. The gunmen came after the convoy, specifically targeted the vehicle conveying the three emirs and opened fire. The Emir of Gwoza was unfortunately killed by the attackers while the emirs of Askira and Uba escaped unhurt. A policeman in the convoy was shot by the attackers, but he survived the attack.”

The government described the late emir as “a great man who worked hard to promote peace and progress of Gwoza.”

The late Timta was born in 1942 and attended Muslim Elementary School, Gwoza, in 1948 and Senior Primary School Bama between 1952 and 1960.

He attended the then Provincial Secondary School now Government College, Maiduguri, between 1960 and 1964.

The late emir, after working briefly as a teacher in Gwoza, proceeded to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, to study Sharia Law in 1968.

The deceased worked with the then North–East judiciary in various capacities as an Inspector of Area Courts and rose to the rank of Principal Inspector of Area Courts before his appointment as the 3rd Chief of Gwoza in October, 1981.

Timta was elevated to a Second Class Emir in 1987 and due to his hard work, the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, elevated him to a First Class Emir in January, this year.

The late emir is survived by four wives, 28 children and many brothers and sisters.

Meanwhile, the Emir of Askira said that he narrowly escaped being killed by the terrorists.

The emir, who is a member of the ongoing National Conference, stated this in a text message to the Deputy Chairman of the conference, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi.

The Assistant Secretary in charge of Media and Publicity of the conference, Mr. Akpandem James, said in Abuja that delegates expressed delight that the emir escaped the attack.

James said, “In response to a text message sent to him by the Deputy Chairman of the conference, Prof. Akinyemi, the emir, who was taking a deep breath after the miraculous escape, said, “My deputy Chairman, I’m most grateful, it was a narrow escape.”

“Akinyemi, in a solidarity message to the emir, said, ‘Your Royal Majesty, on behalf of the national conference, please accept our heartfelt relief at the failure of the attack on your convoy. We thank Allah for your safety.’”

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