Fall of Gwoza
| Fall of Gwoza | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Boko Haram insurgency | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
|
Nigeria Civilian Joint Task Force | Boko Haram | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Unknown |
Abubakar Shekau Mohammed Bashir | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 350 soldiers | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||||
|
600-1,000+ civilians killed 5,000 civilians displaced | |||||||||
On August 6, 2014, militants from Boko Haram stormed the town of Gwoza, Borno State, Nigeria, seizing control of the city. The militants destroyed government buildings and churches, and massacred fleeing civilians in villages in and around Gwoza. At least 600 civilians were killed in the aftermath of the fall of the city.
The fall of Gwoza was also the first time that Boko Haram, which had pledged bay'ah to the Islamic State on May 7, declared territory under Boko Haram control as part of the Islamic State's caliphate and de facto independence from Nigeria. The fall of the city and declaration of the caliphate foresaw the seizures of Buni Yadi, Madagali, and other cities in Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa States. Gwoza was declared the headquarters of the militant group until the recapture of the city by Nigerian soldiers in March 2015.