Militants linked to the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, known as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have reportedly carried out a deadly assault on a community in Borno State, leaving both civilians and soldiers dead.
The attack occurred in Ngoshe, a town located in Gwoza Local Government Area, in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to reports, the militants launched coordinated strikes on key locations in the area around 4 a.m., operating for several hours before withdrawing at daybreak.
Security sources said the gunmen first targeted a military installation — the 82 Division Task Force Battalion under the 26 Brigade.
Details Of The Attack
The attackers, said to be heavily armed and arriving in large numbers, reportedly overwhelmed the base during the raid.
During the assault, several military assets were destroyed, including armoured tanks and operational vehicles.
The insurgents were also said to have seized a significant quantity of ammunition from the facility before advancing toward nearby civilian areas.
After the raid on the base, the militants moved toward a camp housing internally displaced persons (IDPs) situated close to the military installation.
The camp was attacked and many of its structures were set ablaze during the violence.
Witness accounts and security sources indicated that the attackers later spread into the surrounding community, searching houses for soldiers they suspected might be hiding among residents.
Military Base Attack
According to one security source, the attackers arrived in multiple groups, making it difficult to estimate their exact number.
“The terrorists stormed the military base in the early hours of the morning with overwhelming force,” the source said. “After destroying equipment and burning parts of the base, they proceeded to the IDP camp and set many buildings on fire.”
The source added that the militants then combed through residential homes in the town, apparently searching for security personnel.
Casualty figures remain unclear as of the time of reporting.
However, sources confirmed that several soldiers and civilians lost their lives during the attack, while many residents fled into nearby bushes to escape the violence.
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Search and recovery efforts were still ongoing, with more bodies reportedly being discovered as authorities and residents assess the aftermath of the attack.