Boko Haram Declares Caliphate After Conquering Christian Town, Abducting Hundreds in Borno

Nigerian Army Fights to Reclaim Christian Town After Boko Haram Massacre in Borno State

The Nigerian Army has launched operations to retake Ngoshe, a Christian majority town of approximately 6,000 residents in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, after Boko Haram insurgents overran the settlement on Wednesday, March 5, 2026.

The assault began shortly after sunset during Ramadan when militants from Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal Jihad stormed the 82 Division Task Force Battalion base before advancing into the civilian community and an Internally Displaced Persons camp.

An anonymous surviving soldier described the horror of the attack, reporting that only 36 of approximately 214 soldiers remained operational, with over 40 troops still unaccounted for. The Chief Imam of Ngoshe and several community elders were among the dead.

More than 100 women and children were abducted during the onslaught, while thousands of displaced civilians fled to nearby Pulka, where families now sleep in open spaces, roads, and school buildings.

It is our third day in this town and we will extend the fight and reclaim more places from here to Maiduguri, and even up to Abuja.

That chilling declaration came from a video released by five militants who claimed they had annexed Ngoshe and renamed it "Daula Islamia" (Caliphate), vowing to observe Eid prayers in the conquered town.

President Bola Tinubu condemned the assault as "heartless" and directed the armed forces to urgently rescue all abducted victims. Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga confirmed the President mourned the "innocent lives" lost.

The Nigerian Air Force responded with precision airstrikes under Operation Hadin Kai, reportedly neutralizing over 50 terrorists along withdrawal corridors. Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff, visited Maiduguri and pledged intensified operations against the terror groups.

I am here on a routine operational visit. The meeting has given me the opportunity to hear directly from troops on the frontline about their challenges and requirements so that they can be addressed promptly.

That statement from Lt. Gen. Shaibu came during meetings with theater commanders at 7 Division Headquarters.

The crisis deepened further when Lt. Col. Umar Farouq was killed in a coordinated attack on a military base in Kukawa town just days later, marking the second senior officer killed within 72 hours. Insurgents dislodged troops, set vehicles ablaze, and carted away ammunition.

Boko Haram Declares Caliphate in Christian Town as Nigerian Military Scrambles to Respond

The broader security picture in northeastern Nigeria has deteriorated sharply. Reports indicate that over 100 soldiers were killed by Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters in just seven days across multiple attacks on military bases in Borno State, making it one of the bloodiest weeks in the ongoing insurgency.

Residential homes and property worth millions of naira were set ablaze in Ngoshe. The military has confirmed that troops have launched follow up operations to track fleeing attackers and locate the abducted, with the Air Force intensifying aerial surveillance and ground patrols across the Gwoza axis.

The Crusader's Opinion

A Christian town of 6,000 souls was conquered, its name erased, and a caliphate declared on its ashes. Women and children dragged away as slaves. Soldiers beheaded. And the world barely flinched. If a church militia did this to a single Muslim village anywhere on earth, the United Nations would convene an emergency session before sunrise. But when it happens to Christians in Nigeria, again and again, it barely makes the back page. Ngoshe is not just a town. It is a warning. The persecution of Christians in West Africa is not slowing down. It is accelerating. And every day we stay silent, more of our brothers and sisters pay the price with their blood.

Take Action

• Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to directly support persecuted Christians in Nigeria and across West Africa.
• Support Open Doors USA which ranks Nigeria as one of the most dangerous countries for Christians worldwide.
• Contact your elected representatives and demand they address the ongoing genocide of Christians in Nigeria. Find your representative at house.gov.
• Support International Christian Concern which actively advocates for persecuted Christians in Nigeria.
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