Suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have abducted the wife of a pastor and her three children in Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State. The incident occurred on Saturday, July 18, 2026, around noon near Kareto village along the Maiduguri-Damasak road.
Attack Details
According to community sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, the family was traveling in a commercial vehicle to Damasak, where the clergyman, Pastor Moses Guguma, leads the COCIN Church. The terrorists stopped the vehicle, ordered the pastor’s wife and her three children to disembark, and allowed other passengers to continue. They then disappeared into the bush with the victims.
The pastor’s wife, whose identity is being withheld, had been discharged from a hospital in Maiduguri just days before the abduction and was still recovering, the source added.
Ongoing Search and No Demands
As of the time of this report, the whereabouts of the victims remain unknown. Security forces have not issued an official statement, and no demands have been received from the kidnappers. A source close to the family indicated that the victims were targeted specifically because of their religious identity. “As at now, we are holding a special prayer to God for the safe return of the victims,” the source said.
Background on Damasak
Damasak, located in the Northern Borno Senatorial District, approximately 156 kilometers from the state capital Maiduguri, has been a frequent flashpoint for insurgent attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP factions.
