The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has arrived in Borno State for an operational visit following a renewed wave of attacks by insurgents across several communities.
The Army Chief arrived alongside senior military officers amid growing tension and increasing insecurity linked to fresh activities by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the state on Saturday.
Security sources disclosed that the insurgents carried out coordinated attacks on several communities including Ngoshe, Marte, Konduga, Jakana and Mainok.
According to the sources, the attacks led to casualties on both sides as Nigerian troops engaged the insurgents in intense battles.
However, military authorities were reportedly overwhelmed in some areas, particularly in Ngoshe and Konduga, where a commanding officer and several soldiers were said to have been killed during the confrontations.
In Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area, reports indicated that both soldiers and civilians lost their lives during the attack.
Sources further revealed that more than 300 women and children were allegedly abducted by the insurgents during the assault on the town.
Meanwhile, a video clip reportedly released by a terrorist leader and allegedly recorded at the Ngoshe Central Mosque claimed responsibility for the coordinated attacks.
In the footage, the group challenged Nigerian authorities and threatened to celebrate the upcoming Eid al-Fitr festivities in Ngoshe.
Following the attack, residents of Ngoshe community have fled their homes and are currently taking refuge in Pulka, where they are awaiting military operations to reclaim their town from the insurgents.
