6 soldiers injured as Boko Haram ambush local government officials

At least six soldiers were injured on Saturday when they ran into an ambush by Boko Haram insurgents while escorting a convoy of Gwoza Local Government Area officials.

The ambush occurred along Maiduguri-Bama road, close to Bama, sources told PREMIUM TIMES.

A gang of about 40 Boko Haram members opened fire on the convoy that was being escorted by soldiers of the 121 Task Force Battalion, Pulka, our sources said.

Confirming the incident, the caretaker council chairman of Gwoza, Saeed Sambo, told journalists that the soldiers fought back fiercely, killing about 20 of the attackers.

He said they came under attack at about 10 a.m. when they were heading for Gwoza from Maiduguri.

“The insurgents first detonated an IED when the convoy was about 5km away from Bama, before they began to fire on us,” said the chairman who escaped unhurt.

A military source who sought anonymity in this report confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES on phone that the injured soldiers are currently receiving treatment at the military clinic in Brigadier Maimalari Barracks, Maiduguri, which is the headquarters of the 7 Division of the Nigeria army.

The army has not made any official statement on the attack.

Several soldiers have been killed in recent weeks in similar ambush by Boko Haram on soldiers. The Army has also announced killing scores of Boko Haram fighters in such incidents.

Boko Haram attacks have caused the death of over 20,000 people since the insurgency began in 2009.