Saturday, March, 7 2026 - An unidentified armed group has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, where dozens of soldiers and civilians were reportedly killed and more than 300 residents abducted.
According to reports, the attackers stormed the town on
Wednesday night, burning a military base and opening fire across the community
while setting houses and shops ablaze.
In a video obtained after the attack, five armed men
appeared claiming responsibility and declared their intention to seize control
of the town. Speaking in Hausa on behalf of the group, one of the men said they
planned to remain in the area and mark the upcoming Eid al Fitr at the central
mosque in the town.
“In the name of Allah, the most merciful and most
beneficial. We thank God Almighty for helping us to succeed in our mission in
Ngoshe. Today we are inside the central mosque in Ngoshe,” the speaker said.
“People in this town are saying that we cannot conquer Ngoshe. With the help of
God, we have already conquered the town.”
He added that the group intended to remain in the community.
“By the grace of God, we are going to stay in Ngoshe and make it part of our
province and we are going to do the Eid-el-Fitr Salah after the end of Ramadan
in Ngoshe.”
The man also claimed that several residents had been
abducted during the attack. “We have slaughtered males and females in Ngoshe
and we have enslaved the others. It was Almighty Allah that said that we should
enslave them and go with them,” he said.
The group further threatened to extend its attacks to other
cities including Maiduguri and Abuja. Additional footage released by the
attackers allegedly showed scenes from the assault.
Residents who fled the community said the attackers operated
for several hours before troops under Operation Hadin Kai deployed air support
and forced the militants to retreat into nearby forests. Survivors said many
elderly residents and bodies of victims were left behind as people fled the
town in panic, leaving their belongings behind while escaping to nearby
communities.
Nahum Daso, spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command,
confirmed that the attack occurred and said the full number of casualties had
not yet been determined. “Although some unknown number of civilians yet to be
ascertained were also affected or killed. Some are still missing and probably
some were abducted and taken towards the Mandara Mountains,” he said
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