A suspected terrorist attack has left one soldier dead and key public facilities destroyed in Logomani community, Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State, following a coordinated assault on a military base and surrounding civilian infrastructure.

According to Punch, suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters launched the attack late Tuesday night, targeting the Forward Operating Base in Logomani before setting fire to a police outpost, a primary healthcare centre and two classrooms at a local primary school.

The Acting Military Information Officer for Headquarters Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, confirmed the attack in a statement issued on Thursday.

He said troops successfully repelled the assault despite the insurgents briefly breaching part of the base’s defensive perimeter.

“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,” the statement said.

The military, however, confirmed that one soldier was killed during the fierce exchange, while two gun trucks and other combat equipment were damaged.

Goni added that the base remains under the control of Operation Hadin Kai troops, with reinforcements deployed, exploitation operations ongoing and additional defensive measures being implemented.

Residents told Punch that the attackers fired sporadically, forcing people to flee before torching public facilities.

“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,” one resident, who requested anonymity, said.

A local security source said a combined team of military personnel, police officers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force pursued the fleeing insurgents after the attack.

Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of Ngala Local Government Council, Mala Tijjani Ngala, visited the affected community on Wednesday to assess the damage.

During the inspection of the destroyed police outpost, healthcare centre and school, the council chairman said his findings would be forwarded to the Borno State Government for urgent intervention. He also urged residents to remain calm and continue cooperating with security agencies.