Eight Nigerian Soldiers K!lled as Landmine Blast Hits Military Patrol In Borno

Eight Nigerian soldiers have been killed after their patrol vehicle struck a landmine allegedly planted by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants in Borno State, near the border with Cameroon.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the incident occurred on Saturday in Kinuba village, approximately 25 kilometres from Gamboru, while the soldiers were monitoring members of an anti-jihadist militia engaged in clearing bushes along a highway.

A military officer familiar with the incident said all eight soldiers travelling in the vehicle died when the explosive device detonated.

Security sources reportedly blamed ISWAP for the attack, noting that the group operates in the area and has been known to use roadside explosives and bush cover to target military personnel and travellers.

Ibrahim Liman, a member of the anti-jihadist militia supporting Nigerian forces, also confirmed the casualties. He said the explosive had been planted on the dusty road and remotely detonated using a detonating cord.

Liman added that a militia member supervising the bush-clearing operation sustained shrapnel injuries in the explosion.

The incident occurred on the same day the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, was in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, following an earlier attack on a military base that reportedly killed 15 soldiers and five members of an anti-jihadist militia.

The latest incident underscores the continuing security challenges facing troops and local militia groups operating in parts of Borno State, where insurgents have continued to use improvised explosive devices to target security personnel and civilians.

ISWAP and its rival, Boko Haram, have repeatedly deployed roadside bombs and other explosives as part of their insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East.

The conflict, which began in 2009, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people. Although the insurgency has declined from its peak in previous years, attacks have persisted, with violence also affecting neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The cross-border threat has prompted regional military cooperation aimed at containing the insurgent groups and restoring security across the Lake Chad Basin.