Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have razed a police outpost, a primary healthcare centre and two classrooms in Logomani community, Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State, following a late-night attack.
The assault occurred on Tuesday night, shortly after the terrorists launched an offensive against the Forward Operating Base in Logomani, where one soldier was killed during the confrontation.
Sources told The Punch that the attackers fired sporadically into the community, forcing residents to flee before setting key public facilities on fire.
Confirming the incident on Thursday, the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, said the troops successfully repelled the attack despite suffering casualties and equipment losses.
He disclosed that two gun trucks and some combat enablers were damaged during the fierce exchange.
The statement partly read, “Troops of Operation HADIN KAI deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Logomani in Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State under Sector One successfully contained a coordinated attack by ISWAP terrorists.
“Although the insurgents briefly exploited a section of the base’s defensive perimeter during the intense firefight, the troops rapidly regrouped, mounted a determined counter-offensive and decisively expelled the attackers, inflicting significant casualties and forcing the surviving terrorists to flee with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.
“Regrettably, one gallant soldier paid the supreme price, while two gun trucks and some combat enablers sustained damage during the engagement.”
Goni added that troops have retained full control of the Forward Operating Base, while reinforcements have been deployed and exploitation operations are ongoing to reinforce security around the area.
Residents who witnessed the attack described it as well-coordinated, alleging that the terrorists encountered little resistance before carrying out the destruction.
“We all left the community during the attack. The terrorists were very sophisticated. After they overpowered the Army, they entered the school and burnt down two classrooms. They also attacked a police outpost and a hospital, which they burnt down,” a resident, who pleaded anonymity, said.
A local security source disclosed that a joint team of military personnel, police officers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force pursued the fleeing terrorists after the attack.
“They had fled a considerable distance,” the source said.
Attempts to get a reaction from the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, were unsuccessful as calls and other efforts to reach him did not yield a response.
Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of Ngala Local Government Council, Mala Tijjani Ngala, visited Logomani on Wednesday to assess the extent of the destruction.
During the inspection, he toured the burnt police outpost, the damaged primary healthcare centre and the affected primary school.
Ngala said the outcome of the assessment would be forwarded to the Borno State Government to facilitate immediate intervention. He also appealed to residents to remain calm and continue cooperating with security agencies.
