Senator Ali Ndume has urged the Nigerian military to intensify operations against insurgents following a deadly attack by suspected Boko Haram fighters on a military base and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The lawmaker, who represents Borno South in the Senate, confirmed that soldiers and civilians were killed during the assault and described the development as deeply disturbing.
Ndume called on the armed forces to launch a sustained military operation in the Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains, areas widely believed to serve as operational bases for insurgent groups.
According to him, the attack may be connected to the government’s ongoing efforts to resettle displaced residents in parts of the state that were previously abandoned due to insecurity.
He noted that the insurgents might be resisting the resettlement initiative, which has encouraged displaced people to return to their communities, adding that several homes and businesses were set ablaze during the raid.
Local residents and security sources said the attack occurred late on Wednesday, shortly after Muslims broke their Ramadan fast, when dozens of armed fighters stormed the town.
The insurgents reportedly launched a coordinated assault on a military facility operated by the 82 Division Task Force Battalion and also targeted an IDP camp located within the community.
A security source said the attackers overwhelmed the soldiers guarding the base before pursuing fleeing residents across the town and nearby bushes.
“The militants attacked the military formation and the IDP camp. They overpowered the troops and chased residents who were trying to escape,” the source said.
While the exact number of casualties remains uncertain, at least nine soldiers have been confirmed dead so far.
“We cannot confirm the full number of soldiers and civilians killed yet, but nine bodies of soldiers have already been recovered,” the source added.
According to a report by the Daily Trust newspaper, the insurgents also destroyed armoured tanks and military vehicles during the attack and fled with an unspecified quantity of ammunition.
Residents said the attackers later moved into parts of the community where they killed the Chief Imam and abducted more than 100 women and children.
A local resident described the incident as particularly devastating, noting that many people in the area had only recently returned from neighbouring Cameroon after years of displacement caused by the insurgency.
“Many people have now fled from Ngoshe to the nearby town of Pulka. It is very painful because refugees had just started returning to rebuild their lives,” the source said.
The resident also suggested that informants within the community might have helped the attackers plan the operation.
“It would be difficult to carry out such a coordinated attack without insider information. The Chief Imam was killed and over 100 women and children were taken away,” he said.