Olusegun Ariyo
At least, a Captain and a Corporal were killed in a deadly attack by Boko Haram terrorists on a military formation in Izge village, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. The assault, which occurred around 1:00 a.m on Sunday, also led to the deaths of several terrorists during a fierce exchange of gunfire, sources have confirmed.
The insurgents, armed with Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), targeted the platoon of troops under Operation Hadin Kai. The attack, which lasted several hours, was eventually repelled with the support of vigilant local residents, hunters, and members of a civilian joint task force.
“The terrorists struck while most of us were asleep. It was a terrifying experience, but we thank our local hunters and vigilantes who supported the military to push back the attackers,” a resident of Izge revealed to newsmen.
Izge, a village situated deep within the Sambisa Forest about 20km southwest of Gwoza town, has witnessed multiple terrorist invasions due to its strategic location.
This latest assault comes barely two weeks after Boko Haram launched similar attacks on army formations in Wajirko, Damboa LGA, and Wulgo village in Gamboru Ngala LGA, also in Borno State. Those attacks reportedly led to heavy casualties on the side of the troops.
Reacting to the incident, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), who hails from the affected area, expressed concern over the rising wave of attacks in his constituency. While commending the efforts of the Nigerian military, Ndume called on the Federal Government to urgently adopt modern warfare technologies, including drones, to contain the long-standing insurgency.
“Our military is doing its best, but we need to equip and motivate them with the right tools. We need to Train, Equip, Arm and Motivate (TEAM) them to face these criminals head-on,” the Senator stated.
Ndume also lauded the bravery and resilience of Izge residents for supporting the military in repelling the attack and recovering looted arms and ammunition from the terrorists.
