Northern senators have called for an immediate military offensive to remove insurgents from the Kopre-Sambisa corridor in Adamawa State, following attacks on two military battalions that reportedly resulted in the deaths of soldiers, a forest guard and civilians.

The Northern Senators Forum also urged the Federal Government and Defence Headquarters to increase the number of troops deployed to the area in order to prevent additional attacks and the displacement of residents.

The chairman of the forum, Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, representing Katsina Central, made the call in a statement issued on Sunday.

According to the statement, the 226 Battalion in Garkida and the 232 Battalion in Garaha came under attack on Wednesday and Thursday.

Yar’Adua said the attacks affected several communities in Hong and Gombi local government areas, describing the incidents as an attack not only on Adamawa State and the North, but on the entire country.

He expressed sympathy with the families of those killed and other residents affected by the attacks.

The communities reportedly affected include Garaha, Dabna, Bangna, Mubang, Zah, Bitirhuya, Kwapre, Mayo Ladde, Gaya-Dlang, Garkida, Boima and Guyaku.

“We are deeply pained by the reports of killings, abductions of women and children, burning of places of worship, destruction of properties, and the tragic displacement of hundreds of families who were forced to flee their ancestral homes on the eve of our nation’s 66th Independence anniversary.

“These attacks, which targeted the 226 Battalion in Garkida and 232 Battalion in Garaha, are not only an assault on Adamawa State, but an assault on the North and on the Nigerian nation as a whole.

“We call on the Federal Government and Defence Headquarters to urgently reinforce security presence in the Kopre-Sambisa corridor and adopt a unified, proactive strategy to flush out these criminal enclaves.

“The Northern Senators Forum stands in solidarity with the people of Adamawa State. By our collective efforts, you will not be abandoned to terrorists. We condemn in the strongest terms these cowardly acts,” Yar’Adua said.

The senators also appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency and the North East Development Commission to provide relief assistance to communities displaced by the attacks.

They further encouraged residents of the affected areas to continue sharing useful intelligence with security agencies to support efforts to prevent future attacks.