Nine soldiers and one civilian have been killed after terrorists launched a deadly assault on a military position and a nearby community in Borno State.
The attackers, suspected to be members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), also abducted several women and children during the raid, while parts of the community and military facilities were reportedly destroyed.
The attack occurred on Wednesday night in Ngoshe town, located in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, shortly after residents had broken their Ramadan fast.
Residents said the assault overwhelmed local security personnel and forced many villagers to flee into surrounding bushes for safety.
A security source disclosed that the militants arrived in large numbers and targeted both troops and civilians during the operation.
According to a source familiar with the incident, the insurgents were heavily armed and advanced with superior firepower against the soldiers.
“They stormed the area with sophisticated weapons and began attacking both the soldiers and residents,” the source said.
“The troops tried to repel them, but the attackers had more weapons and fighters, which made the situation extremely difficult.”
Another local security operative said the militants killed nine soldiers during the confrontation and also murdered a respected community leader who served as the town’s Chief Imam.
“They ransacked the community, killing soldiers and a prominent resident while abducting women and children,” the operative said.
“Many people ran into the bushes to save their lives, and the village has practically been deserted since the attack.”
Local vigilante members also reported that the attackers destroyed a military armoured personnel carrier and damaged other operational logistics during the raid.
As of the time of filing this report, security authorities had yet to release an official statement confirming the incident or providing details on efforts to rescue those abducted.
