30 Christians Killed in Adamawa as ISWAP Launches Twin Attacks on Nigerian Villages
By Luka Binniyat
KADUNA — The Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for attacks that killed at least 30 Christians in two communities in Gombi County, Adamawa State, on Monday, April 26, 2026, the Associated Press reported.
AP claims that it got the information from the Telegram account of ISIS, but did not elaborate further.
News sources and residents show that several buildings, including churches, vehicles, motorcycles and shops, were either looted or burnt by the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS)-sponsored ISWAP during the broad daylight invasion in one of the communities called Guyaku while a football match was going on, TGNews reported.
My Heart Breaks – Gov. Fintri
Governor Ahmadu Umar Fintiri of Adamawa state visited Guyaku Monday, April 26, 2026, and expressed his anguish, as posted on his X handle on Monday.
“My heart breaks for the people of Guyaku in Gombi LGA,” said Fintiri, who has put in seven years as governor of Adamawa State.
“Today, I stood on the ground where our brothers and sisters were cruelly taken from us. This act of cowardice is an affront to our humanity and will not go unpunished,” he said.
“To the bereaved families: Adamawa mourns with you. To the attackers: justice is coming,” he vowed. “We are intensifying security operations immediately to restore peace and ensure every resident feels safe in their home again.
“We will rebuild, and we will remain resilient,” he assured the residents in conclusion.
Surprised Invasion During a Match
A Guyaku‑born political science professor at Adamawa State University, Mubi, speaking from Yola under condition of anonymity for security reasons, described to TruthNigeria what surviving relatives told him about the attack
“As you know, Guyaku is almost 100% Christian, with Hona and Kilba as the major ethnic groups,” he said. “Christianity has long gained roots in my place, dating back nearly 100 years.”
“All attempts in the past to Islamise us have failed,” he noted.
“Now they want to use terror to dislodge us,” he added.
“Our boys were having a football tournament when terrorists wearing turbans and carrying assault rifles rode through our town on motorcycles. I was told that they were between 60 and 70,” he said.
According to him, they just opened fire on the players and fans as everyone ran in different directions.
He said that the terrorists started burning homes and churches and everything of value that they could not loot.
“They had no mercy on the old and sick who could not run, as they either shot them or macheted them,” he said.
“I am yet to get the exact number of those killed, but it has been estimated to be around 21 in Guyaku, with over 40 sustaining various forms of injuries,” he added.
Hours of Destruction Without Challenge
He said that they operated for several hours unchallenged, which he said encouraged them to move to another community called Yedul D, where they killed about 10 more people and burnt homes and churches.
“I have evacuated my aged mother and her two sisters to my place in Yola,” he said.
“I am told that many people are leaving town, as our people do not believe that the government can stop another invasion,” he added.
The traditional ruler of Gombi county, the Hokumo Gombi, Chief Agrey Ali, who spoke to African Independent Television (AIT) at Guyaku, Tuesday, April 27, 2026, confirmed that the attackers operated for several hours.
“They took advantage of the gathering of youths during a football tournament and attacked. If I had known, I would not have allowed the tournament to take place,” he said.
TruthNigeria was unable to get any comments from both the police and military authorities on why they were unable to respond to the attack that lasted several hours in two locations.
Hong Attacked 5 Days Earlier
In the same vein, Mayo-Ladde community in Hong county, which shares a border with Gombi county to its west, was attacked by what residents said were Boko Haram Islamist terrorists, the Guardian has reported.
The report said that armed militants stormed the area in the late afternoon of April 22, 2026, overpowering local vigilantes and hunters who had been serving as the first line of defence.
“The attackers, reportedly arriving on motorcycles, opened fire on residents and operated for hours with little resistance, killing nine people in the Adamawa community alone.
“Witness accounts indicate that the attackers moved freely through the settlement, targeting civilians and leaving behind destruction and fear. Homes were damaged, and survivors described a situation in which local security structures were simply outmatched by better-armed insurgents,” the Guardian wrote.
Luka Binniyat writes for TruthNigeria on Politics and Conflict from Kaduna.