Gov. Babagana Umara Zulum has sympathised with residents of Ngoshe community in Borno State following a recent insurgent attack that left several people dead and others abducted.
Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area, was attacked on Tuesday evening by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
During a sympathy visit to displaced residents in Pulka on Friday, Zulum described the incident as tragic and expressed condolences to families who lost loved ones.
“We are here today to commiserate with the people of Ngoshe that have lost their loved ones following the unfortunate incident that occurred on Tuesday. The situation is very sad and our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy,” he said.
The governor assured residents that efforts were underway to rescue those abducted, restore security and provide humanitarian assistance to victims.
“I want to assure you that we will do everything possible to address the unfortunate situation that has befallen this community, and for those who have been abducted, the Nigerian military will do everything within its capacity to rescue them,” Zulum said.
He disclosed that military operations were currently ongoing in the Sambisa Forest to dislodge insurgents from their hideouts.
According to him, the recent attacks were largely a result of insurgents being pushed out of their strongholds during ongoing military operations.
“There are ongoing military operations within the Sambisa Game Reserve. What we witnessed yesterday was largely a result of insurgents being pushed out from their strongholds, which led them to launch coordinated attacks on nearby communities,” he said.
Zulum also called on the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government to intensify operations in the Mandara Mountains, which he described as a major security threat.
“The Mandara Hills remain a major security concern. The insurgents descended from the hills to attack this town. Therefore, I call on the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government to intensify efforts to clear Mandara Hills of insurgents,” he added.
The governor said the exact number of casualties from the Ngoshe attack had yet to be confirmed as assessments were still ongoing, but acknowledged that several lives were lost while others were abducted.
As part of immediate humanitarian intervention, Zulum said the state government had begun distributing relief materials and establishing cooking points to provide food for displaced residents.
“For now, we will distribute food items to those affected and I have directed that cooking points be established so that everyone in this community can receive meals from a central kitchen,” he said.
He appealed to residents to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that the state government would intensify efforts to restore lasting peace.
“I strongly believe that with sustained military operations and cooperation between all levels of government, we will overcome this challenge. Insha Allah, peace will return fully to our land,” the governor said.
Meanwhile, Zulum also inspected houses destroyed during a separate attack by insurgents on Thursday in Konduga.
