A soldier lost his leg, and two of his colleagues are
missing after their convoy ran into an improvised explosive device (IED)
planted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Korongilum, a community in Chibok
local government area of Borno state.
The soldiers were deployed on Wednesday morning as a part of
a quick response group (QRG) to respond to an attack in the village.
The insurgents had attacked the community on Tuesday,
burning many houses.
Military sources disclosed on Thursday that the troops
from the army’s 117 battalion, headquartered in Chibok, were a few kilometres
into Korongilum when their gun-trucks and other vehicles in the convoy were
blown off the road by the explosive.
“Seven soldiers were badly injured, and the leg of one of
them was cut off by the explosion,” a source said.
“The troops were led by an operating officer on the
directive of lieutenant colonel SA Yahaya, the commanding officer (CO) who was
coordinating from the battalion headquarters.
“The CO may have been the target as one of his vehicle was
part of the convoy, but he was not there.”
Another source said: “It appears Boko Haram insurgents have
planted IEDs all round the community, and some of the villagers have started
packing their belongings for the fear of another attack.”
One of the residents who also spoke with TheCable said: “As
we speak, there are no troops here. Those who were meant to be here ran into
the IED yesterday, and we are yet to see another reinforcement.”
When contacted, Sagir Musa, army spokesperson, said he was
not aware of the attack on the soldiers.
“I cannot react because I’m not in Maiduguri. I am not
aware,” he said.
Soldiers have been the target of Boko Haram attacks
recently.
In January, a driver attached to Olusegun Adeniyi, commander
of operation Lafiya Dole, was feared dead when the insurgents attacked the
commander’s convoy.
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