TheCable

Late Emir of Gombe, Shehu Abubakar

Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idriss Timta, has been murdered by gunmen believed to belong to Boko Haram.

Timta — as well as Emir of Uba, Alhaji Ismaila Mamza; and Emir of Askira, Alhaji Abdullahi Askirama — was attacked on Friday morning at Tashan Alade, en route to Gombe for the funeral of Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar, who died last week.

“Both of them were attacked on Friday morning, but the news is already in Gwoza that the emir has been killed,” a source in Borno told TheCable Friday afternoon.

“The Emir of Uba is free from the terrorists, but we do not know yet if he was released, or if he escaped.”

The Borno State Government confirmed the killing, saying the Emir was killed around 9am 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,” Secretary to the Borno State Government, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda wrote in a statement.

“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 gun men around Tashan Alade, soon after passing Garkida. The gunmen came after the convoy, specifically targeting the vehicle conveying the three emirs and opened fire.”

While the emir of Gwoza was unfortunately killed by the attackers, those of Askira and Uba escaped unhurt. A policeman in the convoy was also shot by the attackers, but he survived the attack.

The late emir was recently elevated to first-class status by Governor of the state, Kashim Shettima.

The state government described the late emir as a great man who worked very hard to promote peace and progress in Gwoza.

“He was a pillar and one of the rallying points in Borno State. He visibly worked very hard in the search for peace in Gwoza since the insurgency began,” the statement noted.

“Borno State Government is terribly shocked by this incident. The Government prays that Allah admits the late Emir into aljanna Firadaus and give family, members of the Gwoza Emirate Council, ‎the people of Gwoza, the State Council of Chiefs and the entire people of Borno State the fortitude to bear this very traumatic loss especially at a time the state is still dealing with equally disturbing issues related with security challenges in the State.”

Gwoza, the headquarters of Gwoza local government area of Borno State, has been a battleground for the insurgents.

It is about 160 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital.

On May 6, Boko Haram militants attacked Warabe, a village in Gwoza LGA, and abducted eight girls aged between 12 and 15. This was less than a month after the kidnap of hundreds of girls from Chibok, also in Borno State.

On May 17, Boko Haram militants seized 10 Chinese construction workers in Kusuri village, also in Gwoza LGA.

In March, three police officers went missing after suspected members of the sect attacked the convoy of the chairman of Gwoza LGA, Alhaji Hamman Ahmadu.

In February, they attacked Izghe in the same local government, killing dozens of people.