A yet to be ascertained number of persons, including soldiers, have been killed following coordinated attacks by militants of the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), in Borno State.
Security sources said Ngoshe town in Gwoza Local Government Area came under heavy attack around 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, as insurgents launched simultaneous assaults that lasted until daybreak.
According to the sources, the terrorists overran the 82 Division Task Force Battalion under 26 Brigade, setting the military base ablaze and destroying equipment. Armoured tanks and military vehicles were reportedly burnt, while large quantities of ammunition were carted away.
The attackers also stormed a nearby camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), burning shelters and other structures within the facility. Witnesses said the militants later moved into the community, searching houses for soldiers allegedly hiding among civilians.
A military source confirmed that many soldiers and civilians were killed during the attack, while others fled into nearby bushes for safety. However, the exact casualty figure remains unclear as more bodies are still being recovered.
“Up till now, we don’t have the actual number of soldiers and civilians killed, as more bodies are being found,” the source said, adding that the insurgents operated in large, uncountable groups.
The latest incident comes days after another deadly assault at a Forward Operations Base at Banki junction along the Bama-Gwoza Road, where several soldiers, including an Army Major, Ibrahim Mairiga, lost their lives. The bodies of the deceased were reportedly moved to the 7 Division Military Hospital in Maiduguri.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the Ngoshe attack as of the time of filing this report.
