Mazua, Mozambique, Dec. 2, 2025 (Lusa) - Juma, a father of three, is currently trying to recover from the shock of the incident when a group of alleged terrorists invaded his home in Mazua, Memba region, Nampula province, Mozambique, taking everything "in the blink of an eye".
"There were many of them. They entered without fear, destroyed everything in their path and even took the little I had saved. Part of the 600 litres of fuel stolen was used by the invaders to set fire to the two vehicles and the mill, reducing years of effort to ashes," Juma Samuel told Lusa, explaining that the attack on that administrative post was very quick.
Among the losses he counts from this attack, about two weeks ago, are 116,000 meticais (€1,560) that they took, fuel, two vehicles and a flour mill that supported his family and part of the local community.
During the invasion, in a period since the end of September marked by several attacks and destruction in the district of Memba, neighbouring the province of Cabo Delgado, the terror extended to women. According to the young man, the attackers forced some of them to take off their clothes and walk naked, a humiliation that left deep scars.
To save his family, Juma says he managed to send his children to the neighbouring administrative post of Alua, in the district of Eráti, where they are temporarily sheltered.
Despite the trauma of recent weeks, the climate in Mazua is beginning to take on new contours of security. Juma says that the administrative post is currently protected by the Mozambique armed forces.
"We are a little more relaxed now because the military are here," he points out.
During his visit yesterday to the administrative post of Mazua, the governor of Nampula province, Eduardo Abdula, visited the young man, who had all his possessions destroyed. Among the ashes, twisted metal debris and rubble, the scene of a life interrupted was recognisable.
What caught the governor's attention was that only the young man's two vehicles and mill were set on fire, which were also the community's livelihood: "The neighbouring houses remained intact, which raises suspicions about the strategy used by the armed groups. This pattern may indicate that the targets were chosen specifically."
On the other hand, Abdula reinforced his commitment to ensuring the safe return of displaced families, stating that some are beginning to return voluntarily to their areas of origin, with logistical support from the authorities.
However, the governor asked the communities for patience and reinforced the need for unity to prevent further episodes of violence.
At the Chipene administrative post, which he also visited yesterday, 1st December, Abdula drew attention to possible infiltrators among the residents: "There are traitors within the communities, so we need greater vigilance."
Local authorities also revealed that, in the last 15 days, several local bases used by insurgents have been deactivated, including one at the Lúrio administrative post.
More than 10,000 people fled Memba, Nampula, in two days due to attacks by terrorist groups, bringing the total number of displaced persons since 11 November to 82,000, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
As of 23 November, the total number of displaced persons stood at 14,172 families (71,983 people), according to the previous IOM report.
The gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado, also in northern Mozambique, has been the target of extremist attacks for eight years, with the first attack recorded on 5 October 2017 in the region of Mocímboa da Praia.
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