Fresh fears have gripped communities in Borno State following a deadly night raid by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on Tarfa village in Hawul Local Government Area, an attack that left at least five people dead, including a Christian pastor, and reduced the entire rural settlement to ashes. DDM NEWS gathered that the assault, which occurred on Thursday evening, has once again exposed the vulnerability of remote communities in Nigeria’s conflict-ravaged North-East and raised urgent questions about security coverage in rural Borno.
According to multiple local sources, the attackers stormed Tarfa village at about 7:00pm, arriving in large numbers on motorcycles. Witnesses said the gunmen fired sporadically into the air and at homes, creating panic and confusion as residents scrambled for safety. Within minutes, houses, shops, and food stores were set ablaze, lighting up the night sky and turning the quiet farming community into a scene of horror.
Residents said the assailants operated with chilling confidence, moving from one end of the village to another without any visible resistance from security operatives. For more than an hour, the insurgents reportedly held the community hostage, killing residents, burning property, and forcing survivors to flee into nearby bushes and neighbouring villages.
One of the victims was identified as Pastor Evangelist Musa Umoru of the Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN), also known as the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. Pastor Umoru was said to be serving the Tarfa community and was widely respected for his pastoral work and peace-building efforts in the area. His killing has sent shockwaves through Christian communities in Southern Borno and beyond.
Confirming the incident to journalists on Friday, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno State chapter, Most Rev. John Bakeni, described the attack as brutal and devastating. Speaking with visible concern, Bakeni said preliminary information indicated that five people lost their lives during the raid.
“Truly, there was an attack yesterday evening in a village called Tarfa,” Bakeni told DDM NEWS. “I was informed that five people were killed, including the EYN pastor serving that community. From the reports reaching me, the entire village was burnt down.”
Eyewitnesses who escaped the violence painted a grim picture of the assault. One resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the attackers came in overwhelming numbers, leaving villagers with no option but to flee.
“They came en masse and immediately started shooting and burning houses and shops,” the resident recounted. “People ran in different directions to save their lives. There was no help. We were on our own.”
Another source, who identified Pastor Musa Umoru as one of the victims, told DDM NEWS that the fear among survivors remains intense, as many believe the attackers could return at any moment. According to the source, most residents have now abandoned Tarfa village entirely.
“We are under constant fear,” the source said. “Five people were killed, including Pastor Musa Umoru. As I speak to you, I have fled Tarfa. There are women, children, and elderly people scattered everywhere. We need urgent government intervention because our lives are still in danger.”
The attack has left dozens of families displaced, with survivors seeking refuge in neighbouring communities under dire conditions. With homes, food supplies, and livelihoods destroyed, humanitarian concerns are rapidly mounting. Community leaders say many of those who escaped did so with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.
Tarfa village, like many rural settlements in Borno State, depends largely on subsistence farming and petty trading. The destruction of homes and shops has not only claimed lives but also wiped out years of hard-earned property, plunging survivors into uncertainty and despair.
When contacted for an official response, the spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police Nahum Daso, told DDM NEWS that he was yet to receive full details of the incident. He promised to verify the report and provide updates but had not responded further as of press time.
The silence from security agencies in the immediate aftermath of the attack has further fuelled anxiety among residents and rights groups, who argue that rural communities in Borno remain dangerously exposed despite years of military operations against Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Borno State has remained the epicentre of insurgent violence in Nigeria for more than a decade. While military offensives have weakened Boko Haram’s capacity to hold territory as it once did, the group continues to carry out deadly raids, ambushes, and arson attacks on soft targets, particularly in remote and poorly protected villages.
Security analysts told DDM NEWS that such attacks often occur in areas where security presence is thin or nonexistent, allowing insurgents to exploit gaps, strike swiftly, and withdraw before reinforcements can arrive. Hawul Local Government Area, located in southern Borno, has experienced intermittent attacks in recent years, despite being considered relatively calmer than other parts of the state.
The killing of a pastor and the burning of an entire village have once again raised concerns about targeted attacks on religious communities and the broader humanitarian implications of the conflict. Faith leaders in the region have repeatedly warned that persistent insecurity is deepening mistrust, displacing communities, and undermining efforts at reconciliation and post-conflict recovery.
Residents and civil society groups are now calling on the Federal Government, the Borno State Government, and security agencies to urgently deploy troops and police personnel to Hawul and surrounding areas to prevent further attacks and reassure frightened residents. They are also urging authorities to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to displaced families, including shelter, food, and medical care.
As Tarfa village smoulders in ruins and survivors struggle to rebuild their lives, the latest attack stands as a grim reminder that, despite years of counterinsurgency efforts, Boko Haram remains a lethal threat. For communities like Tarfa, peace remains fragile, safety uncertain, and hope painfully elusive. DDM NEWS will continue to monitor developments and bring updates as more information becomes available.
