Crime
Borno Attack: 15 Soldiers, Civilian JTF Members Killed in Military Convoy Ambush
At least 15 people, including 10 Nigerian soldiers and five members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), were killed in an attack on a military convoy in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, on Saturday.
Two soldiers said the troops were travelling along a road between Gamboru Ngala and neighbouring Cameroon when a pickup truck struck a landmine believed to have been planted by Boko Haram insurgents.
Eight soldiers in the vehicle died instantly. Gunmen subsequently opened fire on a second vehicle, killing two more soldiers and five members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, which supports military operations.
Six wounded soldiers were taken to Maimalari Military Hospital in Maiduguri for treatment, according to the soldiers who provided details of the incident.
The sources requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
Military spokesperson Captain Mohammed Goni declined requests for comment.
Borno State remains the epicentre of an insurgency led by Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Despite sustained military operations, both groups continue to attack military personnel and civilians using roadside explosives and ambushes across northeastern Nigeria and near the country’s borders.
The latest attack follows another assault last week in which suspected Boko Haram fighters killed at least 10 soldiers and wounded at least 20 others during a coordinated attack on an army base in Borno State.
(Channels)