Borno Bloodshed: Zulum Pays Tribute to Slain Citizens, Pledges to Free Kidnapped Locals

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, visited Pulka on Friday to mourn with the families of victims of the recent Boko Haram attack on Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area, and assured them that efforts to rescue the abducted individuals were underway.

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Zulum's visit came after insurgents attacked Ngoshe on Wednesday night, killing several residents and abducting more than 300 others, as earlier reported by PUNCH Online.

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During his visit, the governor described the incident as tragic and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, acknowledging the sadness of the situation and offering his sympathies to those affected.

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Zulum assured the community that the state government would do everything possible to address the situation and rescue those who had been abducted, stating that the Nigerian military would utilize its full capacity to achieve this goal.

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The governor revealed that military operations were currently ongoing in Ngoshe and parts of the Sambisa Forest to flush out insurgents from the area, explaining that the recent attack was a result of insurgents being pushed out of their strongholds.

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Zulum called on the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government to intensify operations in the Mandara Hills, citing the area as a major security concern due to the insurgents' ability to launch attacks from the hills.

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The governor noted that the exact number of casualties had yet to be confirmed, as assessments were still ongoing, although he acknowledged that several lives had been lost and many residents had been abducted.

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In response to the crisis, the state government had begun distributing relief materials and establishing cooking points to provide food for displaced residents, with Zulum directing that cooking points be set up to provide meals from a central kitchen.

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The governor urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that the state government would continue working to restore peace in the area, and expressed his belief that sustained military operations and cooperation between all levels of government would ultimately overcome the challenge.

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Zulum also inspected houses destroyed during another Boko Haram attack in Konduga town on Thursday, as part of his efforts to assess the situation and provide support to affected communities.