Nine days after a deadly raid by Boko Haram fighters, Nigerian troops have regained control of Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State that was overrun during the attack.
The military confirmed that soldiers under the Joint Task Force Northeast Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) carried out a counter-offensive that forced the insurgents out of the town and restored the military position previously seized during the assault.
Operation Hadin Kai spokesman, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, disclosed the development in a statement on Wednesday, describing how troops responded swiftly to retake the area.
“Troops of the Nigerian Army under the Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI have successfully thwarted terrorist attack on a military location in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, restoring control of the position after a swift counter-offensive,” he said.
Boko Haram fighters had stormed Ngoshe on March 3 at about 6:20 p.m., just as Muslim residents were preparing to break their Ramadan fast.
During the attack, the insurgents reportedly surrounded the town, assaulted a military formation, killed dozens of soldiers and civilians, and abducted several residents.
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According to Uba, the military quickly mobilised reinforcements from nearby Gwoza and Pulka to reclaim the town and dislodge the militants.
The reinforcements, led by a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle, encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on the way to the community, which damaged two tyres of the vehicle.
Despite the setback, the troops continued their advance and succeeded in recapturing the area.
During the operation, soldiers engaged the fleeing insurgents in intense gunfire and recovered three AK-47 rifles as well as the barrel of a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).
The air component of Operation Hadin Kai also supported the mission with air strikes that reportedly neutralised several of the attackers.
Uba reaffirmed the resolve of the troops, stating that soldiers of Operation Hadin Kai “remain resolute in their determination to deny terrorists freedom of action.”
News of the town’s recapture has been welcomed by residents in Maiduguri, many of whom described the development as reassuring after the deadly raid.
They urged security forces to sustain pressure on the insurgents and prevent them from taking over communities again.
