Terrorists Attack Military Base And IDPs Camp In Borno, Kill Soldiers, Abduct Over 100 Women And Children
A violent attack by suspected terrorists has left several soldiers and civilians dead in Ngoshe town, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, after gunmen stormed a military base and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in the area.
Residents and security sources said the incident occurred on Wednesday evening shortly after Muslims broke their Ramadan fast. The attackers, described as heavily armed, reportedly invaded the community in large numbers and launched coordinated assaults on both the military formation and the displaced persons camp.
According to a security source, the militants first targeted a military base belonging to the 82 Division Task Force Battalion before extending the attack to the nearby IDPs camp.
The source explained that the troops stationed at the base were overwhelmed during the confrontation, allowing the attackers to pursue residents who attempted to flee. The assailants also combed through the community and surrounding bushes during the raid.
While the exact number of casualties has not yet been confirmed, sources disclosed that at least nine soldiers’ bodies have been recovered, with several civilians also feared killed.
The attackers reportedly set fire to armoured tanks and military vehicles and escaped with an unknown quantity of ammunition.
Local sources further revealed that the gunmen entered parts of Ngoshe community where they killed the Chief Imam and abducted more than 100 women and children.
The attack triggered panic among residents, many of whom fled to the nearby town of Pulka for safety. One resident described the situation as devastating, especially as some displaced persons had recently started returning from Cameroon to resettle in the area.
The source also suggested that the attackers might have received information from insiders within the community, saying such an operation would have been difficult to carry out without local intelligence.
Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, confirmed that both soldiers and civilians were killed in the attack. He urged the military to intensify operations in Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains to confront insurgents operating in the region.
Ndume added that the insurgents may have carried out the assault because they oppose the government’s efforts to resettle residents in the area, noting that several houses and businesses in the town were also set ablaze during the attack.
