Terrorists Kill Soldiers, Abduct over 100 in Borno

Terrorists Kill Soldiers, Abduct over 100 in Borno

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have attacked a military base and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Ngoshe town, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, killing several soldiers and civilians while abducting more than 100 women and children.

Local residents and security sources said the attackers, numbering dozens, stormed the town shortly after Muslims broke their fast on Wednesday, unleashing violence on the community.

According to a security source, the insurgents first targeted a military formation in the area before moving into the IDPs camp.

“The militants invaded a military base of 82 Division TF Battalion. They also launched an assault on the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in the community,” the source said.

The attackers reportedly overwhelmed the troops stationed in the area before pursuing fleeing residents.

Another source said that at least nine bodies of soldiers had been recovered after the attack, although the total casualty figure among soldiers and civilians remained unclear.

“We cannot state the actual number of soldiers and civilians killed but nine bodies of soldiers have been recovered so far,” the source said.

The insurgents were also said to have set ablaze armoured tanks and military vehicles and carted away a large quantity of ammunition during the raid.

Residents said the attackers later moved into Ngoshe community where they killed the Chief Imam and abducted more than 100 women and children.

A community source described the attack as devastating, noting that many residents had recently begun returning to the town after years of displacement.

“Residents have fled Ngoshe town to the adjoining town, Pulka. The attack is very devastating considering that refugees have begun to return from Cameroon,” the source said.

The source also suggested that the attackers might have received help from informants within the community, saying it would have been difficult to carry out such a coordinated operation without insider information.

Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, confirmed the attack and the killing of both soldiers and civilians.

He called on the military to intensify operations in insurgent strongholds such as the Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains to prevent further attacks.

Ndume also suggested that the insurgents might have been reacting to the federal government’s resettlement programme aimed at returning displaced persons to their communities in the area.

Insurgency attacks have continued to plague parts of Nigeria’s North-East despite years of military operations against Boko Haram and its splinter groups.

Only recently, terrorists carried out a deadly assault on a military position in Borno State, killing several troops and destroying equipment in a raid that highlighted the continued threat posed by insurgent groups in the region.

Security analysts have warned that the attackers often exploit remote terrain and porous borders around the Sambisa Forest and Mandara mountain range to launch coordinated attacks on communities and security formations.

The latest assault in Ngoshe has once again raised concerns about the safety of returning displaced residents and the need for stronger security measures across vulnerable communities in Borno State.