It was a case of manslaughter in Gwoza as the Emir of Gwoza in Maiduguri, Alhaji  Idrissa Timta, his bodyguards and 19 others were shot dead. This was after he raised the alarm about the activities of the sect in his domain, was shot dead along with his guard at his palace. The gunmen allegedly marched into the palace on Tuesday evening and gunned down the emir and his security guard.

The Emir had urged the government to “save our souls”, as his people were being attacked daily. Alhaji Timta, had in a statement in Maiduguri, the state capital, said economic activities had been cut off in his territory, in addition to daily invasions and killings by the sect. There is no more social life. Farms are being invaded, he added. The statement was signed on his behalf by Gwoza Emitate Council Information Officer Ahmed Karau.

The Emir called for a better policing of the Gwaoza-Maiduguri highway to enable the people resume their normal economic lives stalled by the activities of the sect on the major highways.

“Even the food crops cultivated by them in the last farming season have ended up with the Boko Haram as the harvests were seized by the insurgents, making life unbearable.

“There is an urgent need for the security agents to intensify and change their tactics of operation to stop the mass killings in this area,” Alhaji Timta said.

He said the insurgents had also killed many people by blocking major highways, and appealed to security agents to intensify patrol on these roads to prevent the attacks.

“If care is not taken my people will completely flee the area to neighbouring states and countries for safety,’’ he said
The emir urged the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 7 Division of the Army and other security arms to stop Boko Haram from killing people on the Gwazo – Maiduguri highway.

Alhaji Timta said poor security has caused the death of 350 people this year in the hands of the insurgents on the 135-kilometre Gwoza-Maiduguri; and 152-kilometre Askira-Chibok-Damboa-Maiduguri Forest roads.