Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have attacked Logomani community in Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State, setting fire to a police outpost, a primary healthcare centre and two classrooms after launching an assault on a military base in the area.
The attack, which occurred late Tuesday night, came shortly after the insurgents stormed the Forward Operating Base in Logomani, where one soldier was killed during a fierce gun battle.
Residents said the attackers fired sporadically to force people to flee before destroying public facilities in the community.
The Acting Military Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday.
According to him, troops successfully repelled the coordinated attack despite the terrorists briefly breaching part of the base’s defensive perimeter.
He said the troops regrouped quickly, launched a counter-offensive and forced the attackers to retreat after inflicting heavy casualties on them.
Goni added that one soldier lost his life during the encounter, while two military gun trucks and some combat equipment were damaged.
He assured that the military maintains full control of the Forward Operating Base, noting that reinforcements have been deployed, clearance operations are ongoing and additional defensive measures are being implemented to strengthen security in the area.
Residents described the assault as well-coordinated, claiming the terrorists operated with little resistance.
One resident, who requested anonymity, said the attackers overwhelmed security personnel before burning parts of the community, including a school, police outpost and healthcare facility.
A local security source disclosed that a joint team comprising military personnel, police officers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force pursued the fleeing terrorists after the attack, although they had already escaped a considerable distance.
Efforts to obtain comments from the spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, were unsuccessful.
Following the incident, the Executive Chairman of Ngala Local Government Council, Mala Tijjani Ngala, visited the affected community on Wednesday to assess the damage.
During the inspection, he examined the destroyed police outpost, primary healthcare centre and school facilities.
The council chairman said the findings from the assessment would be forwarded to the Borno State Government to facilitate urgent intervention.
He also appealed to residents to remain calm and continue cooperating with security agencies as efforts to secure the area continue.
