Deadly assault on football match in Adamawa state leaves at least 29 dead as ISWAP claims responsibility

Gunmen launched a hours-long assault on the Guyaku community in Gombi Local Government Area, Adamawa state, killing at least 29 people in an attack that specifically targeted spectators at a football match. Local residents reported that insurgents entered the pitch with firearms and opened fire on youths and women gathered for the game, while the attackers subsequently burned homes, places of worship, and motorcycles.

State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri visited the scene of the violence and confirmed the death toll, initially attributing the operation to Boko Haram militants active in the northeast. However, the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) claimed responsibility for the attack via Telegram, stating they killed at least 25 Christians and torched a church and nearly 100 motorcycles. This divergence in attribution highlights the complex landscape of jihadist factions operating within the region.

Witness accounts from the Guyaku community describe a coordinated effort to target civilians during a recreational event. Resident Philip Agabus stated that people had converged at the football pitch when insurgents arrived with guns and began shooting randomly. Joshua Usman, another local, confirmed that the deceased were primarily youths and ladies watching the match, noting that attackers also destroyed property including places of worship and houses.

Visual evidence captured by local television showed a burned church and several charred motorcycles, underscoring the scale of the destruction. The attack occurred against a backdrop of long-standing insecurity in Adamawa state, which borders Cameroon and has historically been a hotspot for violence by jihadists and local criminal gangs. Since 2009, the insurgency led by Boko Haram and its rival faction ISWAP has left tens of thousands dead and displaced millions across the country's northeast.

The timing of the violence draws heightened scrutiny given that Nigeria's general elections are less than a year away. Security experts note that both Muslim and Christian communities are targeted by armed groups in the region, complicating efforts to restore stability. Nigeria is currently seeking technical and training support from the United States following a resurgence of violence that has strained bilateral relations.

On the same day as the football pitch assault, a separate incident involving communal clashes over farmland disputes occurred in the Lamurde area, approximately 100 kilometres away. Local government council chairman Bulus Daniel reported that lives and properties were lost in the Lamurde violence, distinguishing it from the jihadist attack in Guyaku. These concurrent incidents illustrate the multifaceted nature of the security crisis affecting the region.