Terror Group Claims Responsibility for Borno Massacre, Abduction of 300

A group yet to be officially identified has claimed responsibility for the deadly assault on Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, where numerous soldiers and civilians were reportedly killed and more than 300 residents abducted on Wednesday night.

Armed attackers were said to have stormed the town, setting fire to a military base, homes and shops while firing sporadically during the raid.

In a video that surfaced on Friday morning, five armed men declared that they carried out the attack and intended to take control of the community. The speaker, addressing viewers in Hausa, claimed the group planned to celebrate the forthcoming Eid-el-Fitr prayers at the central mosque in Ngoshe.

He also admitted that several residents were beheaded during the attack.

“In the name of Allah, the most merciful and most beneficial. We thank Almighty God for granting us success in our mission in Ngoshe. Today we are inside the central mosque in Ngoshe,” he said.

According to him, some residents had earlier believed the town could not be captured, but the group insisted it had now taken control of the area.

“With God’s help, we have conquered Ngoshe. By His grace, we will remain here, make it part of our province, and perform the Eid-el-Fitr prayers here after Ramadan,” he added.

The speaker further disclosed that many residents had been abducted, claiming they would be forced into slavery.

“We have slaughtered men and women in Ngoshe and enslaved others. It was Allah who commanded that we enslave them and take them with us,” he said.

The group also threatened to extend its attacks to other major cities, including Maiduguri and Abuja.

Additional footage released by the attackers allegedly showed scenes from the attack, including the killing of civilians.

Following the incident, residents who fled the community expressed concern about elderly people and bodies left behind after the attackers forced people to flee. Many survivors are currently scattered across neighbouring communities in the local government area, saying they escaped without taking any belongings.

Eyewitnesses said the assault lasted several hours before air forces under Operation Hadin Kai were deployed, eventually forcing the attackers to retreat into nearby forests.

The spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed that the attack occurred, adding that several residents remain unaccounted for.

“Some civilians were affected or killed, though the exact number is yet to be determined. Several others are still missing and some may have been abducted and taken towards the Mandara Mountains,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said authorities were still working to determine the exact number of victims.

He noted that efforts were ongoing to verify the number of missing persons.

The commissioner also said the state government had begun providing assistance to survivors who are currently taking refuge in Pulka, another town within Gwoza Local Government Area.

According to him, the government activated its standard emergency response plan for communities affected by conflict.

“The displaced residents were assembled in Pulka, where immediate support was provided by the local government authorities,” he said.

Tar added that the Borno State Emergency Management Agency had dispatched relief materials to the victims, including rice, sugar, millet and blankets, which were expected to arrive shortly.

He assured that the displaced residents were receiving necessary support, while security forces were maintaining a protective corridor to ensure safe delivery of relief supplies.

Healthcare and sanitation teams have also been deployed to the area to prevent possible disease outbreaks among the affected population.