BY MUSA IDRIS UMAR, MAY 17, 2025 | 09:32 AM

Hours after the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, concluded a visit to Maiduguri to assess the security situation and assure residents of strengthened military efforts, suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram fighters launched attacks in three different Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Borno State.

The first attack occurred early Thursday morning in Malam Karanti, a village near Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area.

This assault resulted in the deaths of at least 20 farmers and fishermen, with more than 10 others abducted.

The assailants reportedly gathered the victims, primarily bean farmers, and executed them before launching a second assault that disrupted rescue and recovery efforts. Residents of nearby communities are in shock as families continue to search for missing loved ones, Yerwa Express News reported.

In a second incident, Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters carried out a destructive raid on Wulgo, a town near Gamboru Ngala.

The attackers razed a hospital, a military base, and a school.

This assault followed an earlier attempted incursion from the Sambisa Forest, which had led to the temporary withdrawal of security forces.

In a third, separate development, Boko Haram insurgents were reportedly suffering heavy losses in a gun battle in Gwoza town, Borno.

The terrorists attempted to attack the town through the recently built 1000 housing units, also according to a report by Yerwa Express News.

These attacks transpired shortly after Gen. Musa’s assessment visit to Maiduguri, where he addressed concerns about the rising wave of violence in parts of Borno, including recent incidents in Marte, Dikwa, Gajiram, and Rann.

Speaking to journalists at Maimalari Cantonment, the CDS attributed the renewed attacks to pressure being mounted on terrorist groups in the Sahel region.

He stated that this pressure has forced them to intensify operations in Nigeria, particularly around the porous Lake Chad borders.

He assured the public that the military remains in control, citing the deployment of more sophisticated weapons and new strategic measures to combat the insurgency.