The Emir of Gwoza, Idrissa Timta, is feared dead after armed men abducted him and a colleague early Friday, local officials said.
Suspected Boko Haram militants attacked and abducted the traditional ruler, and his colleague, the Emir of Uba, Ismaila Mamza on Friday morning.
The two leaders were travelling to Gombe State for the funeral of the of the Emir of Gombe, Shehu Abubakar, who died on Tuesday evening at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, where he was undergoing treatment for cancer.
According to the report, the gunmen opened fire at the royal vehicle and the two Emirs were said to have opened their car doors and fled into the bush.
A local Mallam, Habu Shaffa, claimed that, one of the Emir was shot and the other escaped, “We were going to our farms when we saw police and some people shooting themselves. We saw a car and we knew that, it belongs to an Emir. We thought it was the Emir of Biu but later we learnt that, it was the Emir of GWOZA and the Emir of Uba who were passing and Boko Haram opened fire on their vehicle. One of the Emirs died, but the other escaped.”
The Emir of Uba survived the attack, and was later found in the bush by soldiers who had fought the assailants.
A version of the story said the Emir died of shock as security agents engaged his abductors in a gun duel.
But the body of the Emir of Gwoza, Mr. Timta, was later found, a top security personnel confirmed.
Earlier, witnesses said the two men were abducted on their way to Gombe.
A top security personnel confirmed the emir’s death.
“It was really sad that the Emir of Gwoza got killed in the attack; but his colleague, Emir of Uba managed to escape unhurt,” the source said.
Borno state Government officials have yet to issue a formal statement on the incident.