At least nine soldiers of the Nigerian Army have been confirmed dead, while several others sustained varying degrees of injury following an explosion caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along the Gubio axis of Borno State.
The soldiers involved were said to be from the 145 Battalion, Damasak, under the 5 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri.
According to sources, the troops were travelling from Maiduguri when the incident occurred over the weekend, between Saturday and Sunday.
Initial accounts indicate that the blast occurred without any direct exchange of gunfire, catching the soldiers off guard and inflicting heavy casualties.
A military source explained that the soldiers had paused their journey at a roadside camp before resuming movement, only to run into a deadly device planted by Boko Haram fighters.
“They were not attacked by gunmen; the damage was caused solely by an explosive device hidden along the road,” the source said.
Several soldiers sustained severe injuries during the blast, with the death toll rising after the initial explosion.
“Some of those injured were evacuated alive, but eight later died on Sunday, while another soldier passed away on Monday morning,” the source added.
Clarifying further, another security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stressed that the incident should not be described as an ambush.
“This was an IED attack, not a firefight. Unfortunately, the impact was severe, and many sustained life-threatening injuries,” he said.
Meanwhile, graphic videos and photographs circulating online showed the aftermath of the explosion, with several soldiers lying motionless and others bearing injuries consistent with a powerful blast, highlighting the brutality of the attack.
The Guild reports that this latest incident adds to a series of assaults on military formations across Nigeria’s North-East, where Boko Haram and its rival faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have increasingly relied on landmines and roadside bombs to target patrols and convoys.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Army had yet to release an official statement on the explosion or provide additional clarification on the operation.
