…the Boko haram attack also reportedly claimed the lives of nine soldiers after the insurgents overran the military post.
BORNO, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have abducted more than 300 residents during a midnight attack on Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, forcing thousands of survivors to flee to neighbouring Pulka town where many are now sleeping on roads and in school buildings for fear of further attacks.
The Boko haram attack, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, reportedly began when the insurgents stormed a military base in Ngoshe before turning their assault on the civilian population.
Earlier reports had indicated that several civilians were killed and a number of women abducted after the attackers targeted the military formation in the community.
Sources said Boko haram launched the assault around 1 a.m., firing sporadically and causing widespread panic among residents who fled into nearby bushes and surrounding communities.
Eyewitnesses said the attack lasted for several hours before the air component of Operation Hadin Kai intervened, forcing the insurgents to retreat into the surrounding forests. Several houses were reportedly set ablaze during the raid.
Security sources later disclosed that surveillance aircraft tracked the fleeing insurgents along known escape routes and carried out precision airstrikes on their positions, killing more than 50 suspected fighters.
However, the Boko haram attack also reportedly claimed the lives of nine soldiers after the insurgents overran the military post.
The spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed the incident, stating that a number of civilians were killed while several others remained unaccounted for.
He noted that the missing residents might have been abducted and taken towards the Mandara Mountains, adding that authorities were still working to determine the exact number of victims.
“As of now, we have not completed the process of establishing the total number of those taken away. Some civilians were affected or killed during the attack, while several others are still missing,” he said.
Efforts to obtain further updates from the spokesperson of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, were unsuccessful as calls placed to his phone were not answered.
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, condemned the attack, revealing that more than 100 residents were still missing following the assault.
Ndume said Boko haram dislodged the military formation in Ngoshe and destroyed equipment before setting houses and property worth millions of naira on fire.
“Details about the incident are still sketchy, but information available indicates that several fleeing terrorists were neutralised by the air component of Operation Hadin Kai,” he said.
The lawmaker also disclosed that prominent members of the community, including the Chief Imam and some elders, were among those killed in the attack.
According to him, thousands of residents, mostly women and children, have been displaced and are currently taking refuge in Pulka community.
Survivors described the attack as devastating and appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance.
The District Secretary of Ngoshe, Shuaibu Dabawa, claimed that more than 300 residents were abducted during the Boko haram raid, adding that many residents fled into the bush when the gunshots started.
“Our immediate concern is that some elderly people are still trapped in the community alongside several dead bodies. Many of us escaped with nothing except the clothes we were wearing,” he said.
Dabawa added that displaced residents were now scattered across Pulka, with many sleeping in open spaces while others have taken shelter at the Central Primary School in the town.
Another survivor from the Boko haram attack, Audu Bello, described the incident as a mass abduction but noted that the exact number of victims would only be confirmed after families verify missing relatives.
A female survivor, Amina Halidu, also lamented the difficult living conditions faced by displaced persons in Pulka, noting that many are currently sheltering at the Central Primary School without adequate food, water or shelter.
The Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said the state government had activated its support protocol for victims of conflict.
According to him, relief materials including rice, sugar, millet and blankets have been dispatched through the State Emergency Management Agency to support affected households.
He added that healthcare and sanitation officials had also been deployed to prevent possible disease outbreaks.
Tar said the actual number of missing persons was still being verified.
Meanwhile, security sources disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Waidi Shuabi, is expected to visit Ngoshe on Friday to assess the situation and interact with affected residents.
