Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has confirmed that an unspecified number of civilians, soldiers and insurgents were killed after suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters attacked Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State on Tuesday evening.
Ngoshe, one of the recently resettled communities near the Mandara Mountains, came under assault shortly after residents broke their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to security sources.
Condemning the attack, Ndume extended condolences to families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He said details of the incident remain unclear but revealed that the air component of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, neutralised several fleeing terrorists.
“Unfortunately, the Chief Imam of Ngoshe and some elders and soldiers were among those slaughtered or killed,” the senator said, adding that more than 100 residents are still missing or abducted, while thousands of civilians—mostly women and children—have been displaced and are now taking refuge in Pulka community.
Ndume further disclosed that the military base in the area was overrun during the attack, with key equipment destroyed and houses and property worth millions of naira set ablaze.
According to security sources, the insurgents overwhelmed the military formation with superior firepower.
The lawmaker urged the Federal Government to intensify operations in Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains, stressing that the ongoing Operation DESERT SANITY V should be sustained rather than intermittent.
“I call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to equip security agencies with fighter jets and other technological weapons to end the lingering terrorists’ activities,” Ndume said, alleging that troops at the frontline lack sufficient Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and rely largely on AK-47 rifles, while insurgents deploy rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft machine guns and drones.
He also raised concern over the absence of stationed attack helicopters in the North East, noting that many available aircraft had been redeployed to the North-West and North-Central regions.
Ndume said the General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, and the Brigade Commander in Gwoza were already in Ngoshe to help restore order, while authorities are working with the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Gwoza Local Government Council to provide relief materials for displaced residents in Pulka.
The senator, however, commended the efforts of the Borno State Government under Governor Babagana Zulum and security forces in the fight against insurgency, noting that their sacrifices have enabled the resettlement of many internally displaced persons in liberated communities across the North East.
Meanwhile, community leaders have appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance for displaced residents. In a joint statement, Malam Idrissa Hamman and Engineer Aliyu Shehu called for donations of food, clothing, blankets, shoes, buckets and other basic household items for victims currently sheltering in Pulka.
They said the support initiative is being coordinated under the Gwoza Youth Forum to assist affected families facing severe hardship following the attack.
