No fewer than 20 people have been killed, including 14 soldiers, during two separate attacks on army bases at Gwoza Local Government in the southern part of Borno state on Tuesday night, sources said.
BusinessDay had earlier reported that Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists attacked the Nigerian Army’s Ngoshe base in Gwoza, killing at least nine soldiers and an imam, and destroying the military formation.
Our correspondent also gathered that simultaneously, Pulka military base in the same Gwoza came under heavy attacks, reportedly killing five soldiers, including a commanding officer of the base.
It was further gathered that the attack forced the troops to retreat from Ngoshe village, and the invaders carted guns and ammunition after the base in Ngoshe was completely overrun.
Bello Ngoshe, a resident, said they have received reports that more than 100 people have been forcefully taken away by the invader, who operated for hours without any or little resistance from the troops.
He said, “We are devastated now; hundreds of people have been abducted by terrorists and about eight villagers killed .
“Ngoshe is deserted as we speak; they burnt down the village completely, and nobody is presently in our village,” Bello stated.
Collaborating with the account, Ali Ndume, Senator representing the Borno South at the national assembly, has confirmed the killing of an unspecified number of civilians, soldiers and terrorists when armed members of Boko Haram/ISWAP invaded Ngoshe last Tuesday evening.
The senator, in an interview on Thursday morning, also said the details about the unfortunate incident are still sketchy, but maintained that many of the fleeing terrorists were neutralised by the air component of the Joint Task Force North East ‘Operation HADIN KAI’, lamenting that the Chief Imam of Ngoshe and some elders and soldiers were among those killed, with over 100 people still missing or abducted during the attack.
Ndume strongly condemned the attack, commiserated with the families of those killed and wished the injured ones a quick recovery.
“Ngoshe is one of the newly resettled communities around the Mandara Mountains located in Gwoza Local Government Area in Southern Borno.
“I strongly condemn the attack. Let me commiserate with the families of those killed and wish the injured ones a quick recovery.
“Let me also reiterate that the inability of the military to have a stationed attack helicopter(s) in the whole of the North East is a serious threats, even the few attack helicopters or fighter jets and Tucanos that were available have relocated to the North West and Central, which is very difficult to access them when there is strike in any parts of the North East.
“As it is, details about the unfortunate Ngoshe incident are still sketchy, but information at my disposal revealed many of the fleeing terrorists were neutralised by the air component of the Joint Task Force North East ‘Operation HADIN KAI’.
Unfortunately, the Chief Imam of Ngoshe and some elders and soldiers were among those slaughtered or killed.
More so, over 100 people are still missing or abducted during the attack, while thousands of Civilians, mostly women and children, are displaced and currently taking refuge in Pulka Community.
“The Military Base was dislodged with some major equipment destroyed, including residential houses and property worth millions of naira set ablaze,” he said.
Ndume called for a serious military operation in Sambisa Forests and the Mandara Mountains to stem the tide of terrorists causing havoc in Southern Borno.
He pleaded for immediate assistance from NEMA and SEMA, as thousands of civilians, mostly women and children, are displaced and currently stranded in Pulka village without food or water.
