SUSPECTED terrorists have launched a deadly attack on a military base and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Ngoshe town, located in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, leaving soldiers and civilians dead while abducting more than 100 women and children.
News Point Nigeria reports that the attack, believed to have been carried out by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), occurred shortly after residents broke their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Security and local sources said the insurgents stormed the community in large numbers and heavily armed, launching a coordinated assault on a military formation as well as the IDP camp where displaced persons had been taking refuge.
According to security sources, the militants first attacked a military base belonging to the 82 Division Task Force Battalion stationed in the area.
The attackers reportedly used heavy weapons, including anti-aircraft guns, to overpower the troops during the raid.
“They invaded the military base and launched an assault on the IDP camp in the community,” a security source said.
The militants were said to have overwhelmed the soldiers with superior firepower before pursuing residents fleeing the attack.
Sources said at least nine soldiers were confirmed killed, although the total number of casualties, including civilians, could not immediately be verified.
“We cannot state the exact number of soldiers and civilians killed yet, but nine bodies of soldiers have been recovered so far,” one of the security sources disclosed.
Local residents said the insurgents later moved deeper into Ngoshe community, where they killed the town’s Chief Imam.
The attackers also abducted more than 100 women and children, taking them away to an unknown destination.
A community source said the attackers ransacked homes and surrounding bushes while searching for fleeing residents.
“They came in large numbers and attacked both the soldiers and the community. They killed the Chief Imam and abducted many women and children,” the source said.
During the raid, the terrorists reportedly destroyed military equipment, including armoured tanks and vehicles.
A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) said the insurgents also burnt down parts of the military base and made away with large quantities of ammunition.
The attack left significant damage in the community, with several houses and businesses set ablaze.
The assault triggered panic among residents, forcing hundreds of villagers to flee their homes.
Many reportedly escaped into surrounding bushes, while others ran to nearby Pulka town for safety.
“As I am speaking to you now, the entire people of Ngoshe have fled into the bushes, and nobody is left in the village,” a local source said.
The development comes at a time when some refugees who had earlier fled to neighbouring Cameroon had begun returning to the area under government resettlement plans.
Some local sources suggested that the success of the attack may have been aided by informants within the community.
“It’s not possible for them to carry out such a coordinated attack without information from within,” one source alleged.
Reacting to the incident, Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District in the All Progressives Congress, confirmed that soldiers and civilians were killed in the attack.
He called for a renewed and decisive military offensive against terrorist enclaves in the region, particularly in the notorious Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains.
Ndume also suggested that the attack might have been linked to the government’s efforts to resettle displaced residents in the area.
According to him, insurgents may be targeting communities where displaced persons are returning in order to undermine the resettlement programme.
As of the time of filing this report, military authorities and government officials had not issued an official statement regarding the attack.
