TheCable

A company of soldiers from the Nigerian army 117 task force in Chibok ran into improvised explosive device (IED) while making their way to the battalion headquarters on Thursday. 

A military source in the battalion told TheCable that the incident happened around 7:30 am shortly after the troops left Kwamdi to Chibok, a 12 kilometre road with part stretching through the Sambisa forest.

“The insurgents planted the bombs over night. We have confirmed the death of one soldier. About three others badly injured have been evacuated and taken to the hospital in Yola.”

The source added that a reinforcement team came on time and the insurgents could not strike further.

Normalcy has since returned to the area, but the source feared if soldiers injured would survive.

“They had too many cuts and were bleeding badly,” he said.

Sagir Musa, army’s spokesman, did not immediately respond to a message seeking his comment on the development.

The incident came less than a month after a report that the insurgents killed 25 military personnel while they were evacuating people from some villages.

Suspected members of the sect also engaged soldiers in a gun battle at Sajere ward in Maiduguri, Borno capital, on June 1.