No fewer than a hundred residents of the Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State are feared missing after suspected Boko Haram insurgents carried out a deadly midnight attack on the town.
The incident reportedly forced thousands of residents to flee to the neighbouring Pulka community, where many displaced persons are now taking shelter in open spaces, roadsides, and school buildings amid fears of further attacks.
New Telegraph gathered that during the raid, several houses were set ablaze, while properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed.
Local sources privy to the development said the insurgents first targeted a military formation in Ngoshe before turning their assault on the civilian population at about 1 a.m.
Witnesses told reporters that the attack lasted for several hours, spreading panic across the community before air support from the Nigerian military was eventually deployed to repel the attackers and force them into nearby forests.
Reports on Thursday also indicated that the Nigerian military killed dozens of insurgents following the attack on the military base.
The assault on the formation reportedly resulted in the death of nine soldiers.
Military surveillance aircraft later tracked the fleeing fighters along known escape routes and launched airstrikes on their positions, killing more than 50 insurgents.
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The spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed that the attack occurred and said many residents were still unaccounted for.
“Some civilians whose number is yet to be ascertained were affected or killed during the attack. Several others are still missing and may have been abducted and taken towards the Mandara Mountains,” he said.
Daso added that authorities were still working to determine the exact number of people abducted.
“As of now, we have not completed the process of establishing the total number of those taken away. If reports about the Chief Imam being missing are confirmed, we will verify and update you accordingly,” he said.
Attempts to obtain additional comments from security officials were unsuccessful as calls placed to the spokesperson of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, were not answered as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, condemned the attack while speaking with journalists on Thursday, stating that more than 100 residents were still missing.
According to him, the insurgents overran the military formation before attacking civilians in the community.
“The military base in the community (Ngoshe) was dislodged, with some major equipment destroyed. Residential houses and property worth millions of naira were also set ablaze,” Ndume said.
“As it is, details about the unfortunate Ngoshe incident are still sketchy, but information at my disposal revealed that many of the fleeing terrorists were neutralised by the air component of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai.”
The lawmaker further disclosed that prominent members of the community were among those killed during the attack.
“Unfortunately, the Chief Imam of Ngoshe and some elders, as well as soldiers, were among those slaughtered or killed,” he said.
Ndume added that the number of missing residents remained significant.
“More than 100 people are still missing or abducted during the attack, while thousands of civilians, mostly women and children, have been displaced and are currently taking refuge in Pulka community,” he said.
Survivors who escaped the violence described the attack as devastating and appealed for urgent humanitarian support.
The District Secretary of Ngoshe, Shuaibu Dabawa, said the scale of the abduction was alarming, claiming that more than 300 residents were taken by the insurgents.
“When they attacked, we heard sporadic gunshots and immediately fled into the bush for safety, where we spent the entire night,” Dabawa said.
“More than 300 people were abducted by the terrorists during the attack. There is currently no military presence in Ngoshe, which has heightened security concerns,” he added.
Dabawa also raised concerns about elderly residents who were unable to escape.
“Our immediate worry is that some elderly people remain trapped in the community alongside several dead bodies. Many of us escaped with nothing except the clothes we were wearing. The town has been completely deserted,” he said.
He explained that displaced residents had scattered across Pulka, with many sleeping in open spaces while others have taken shelter at the Central Primary School in the town.
“We are appealing for urgent military reinforcement and food assistance for the affected families,” he said.
Another survivor, Audu Bello, said it was difficult to determine the exact number of abducted residents without proper verification from affected families.
“It was a mass abduction. Only families whose relatives were taken can give a clearer picture of the number of victims,” Bello said.
“For many of us, we managed to escape after hearing sporadic gunshots. It was an unfortunate incident that has devastated many families. Several households have now been split apart, with some members in Pulka while others are scattered in unknown locations seeking safety,” he added.
A displaced resident, Amina Halidu, also described the difficult living conditions currently faced by survivors in Pulka.
“Many people are now camped at Central Primary School in Pulka. There is no water, no food and no proper shelter. Most of the displaced persons are women and children. We are appealing for urgent government intervention,” she said.
When contacted, the Director-General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Ali Abdullahi, did not respond to calls or messages requesting comments.
However, the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said the state government had already begun providing assistance to affected residents.
“There is a standing protocol by the state government for providing support to people that are affected by conflicts,” he said.
“In the case of Ngoshe, the people were assembled at Pulka, a nearby town to the area, and immediate support came from the local government.”
Tar added that additional relief materials had been dispatched through the state emergency agency.
“In addition, the state government, through the state emergency management agency, has dispatched palliatives to all the victims and each household. The items include rice, sugar, millet and blankets. It will get to them tomorrow (today).”
He further noted that security agencies were working to ensure safe delivery of the supplies.
“Currently, the people are comfortable and the military is on top of the situation and making sure that there is a security corridor for the transportation of the items to the victims.”
According to him, healthcare and sanitation officials have also been deployed to the area.
“We have also dispatched healthcare and sanitation officials to the location to make sure there is no outbreak of a pandemic.”
Tar added that authorities were still verifying the number of missing persons.
“We are in the process of verification, the actual figure is yet to be ascertained.”
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff is expected to visit Ngoshe on Friday to assess the situation and interact with victims of the attack.
