• Troops foil terrorists’ attempt at Borno military formation, kill some in Zamfara

No fewer than12 persons have been confirmed dead after a suspected Boko Haram attack on Dzangola community in Guyaku District of Gombi Local Council Area of Adamawa State.

Three others reportedly sustained injuries, while a woman was abducted during the attack, which also left several houses, shops and a place of worship destroyed.

Meanwhile, troops of the Nigerian Army, supported by the Nigerian Air Force and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), have foiled an attempt by Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists to overrun a military formation in Pulka, Gwoza Local Council Area of Borno State.

Similarly, several suspected terrorist fighters have reportedly been killed in military air strikes on Yankuzo community in Tsafe Local Council Area of Zamfara State.

A counter-insurgency publication, Zagazola Makama, said security forces conducted the operation on Monday evening under Operation FansanYanma, while local sources said five military aircraft participated in the airstrike.

An eyewitness said the Gombi attack, which occurred on Sunday evening, threw the community into panic and further heightened concerns over the security of communities in the area and the safety of residents.

The Gombi monarch, His Royal Majesty Aggrey Ali, who visited the affected community on Monday, expressed condolences to the families of those killed and urged residents to remain strong and united despite the tragedy.

Aggrey urged the people not to abandon their ancestral homes, stressing that their communities remain the places where they have lived, worked and earned their livelihoods.

The monarch further advised residents to remain vigilant and security-conscious and to avoid actions that could expose them to further attacks. He also urged them to pay close attention to the activities of suspected informants and report any suspicious movement or activity to security agencies without delay.

However, operating under Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), the troops repelled the coordinated attack with sustained firepower, forcing the terrorists to withdraw from the area with casualties, according to the Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East OPHK, Capt. Mohammed Goni.

Goni disclosed in a statement yesterday that the terrorists launched the assault on Monday as troops continued counter-terrorism operations in the area, adding, however, that the troops held their ground, with the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage for the ground troops.

According to him, the terrorists abandoned the assault afterwards and withdrew with casualties, while security forces retained control of military positions across Pulka,

However, Goni said that a soldier sustained a gunshot wound to the left arm during the encounter and was promptly evacuated for medical treatment, with his condition now described as stable.

Though the exact terrorist casualties in the Zamfara incident are yet to be established, ZagazolaMakama said that among those killed was a terrorist identified as IsiyaGurgu, said to be a close associate of a notorious bandit leader known as Musa Commander, who is reportedly linked to the Ado Aleru network.

The sources further claimed that Musa Commander is associated with several terrorist-controlled communities, including Tsamiya and other settlements in the area, it added.

Yankuzo community is said to be a stronghold of armed groups linked to the Ado Aleru network, with residents facing persistent threats from fighters operating in and around the community.