Explosion kills 7 soldiers in Borno

A military vehicle on Thursday carrying seven soldiers reportedly exploded after striking a buried explosive device.

The incident which happened in Mugunu area of Maiduguri in Borno State, resulting in the deaths of all the military operatives on board.

According to reports, the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram along the Gamboru Ngala-Maiduguri Road in Borno State.

The Army reportedly received a distress call during early on Thursday that Boko Haram terrorists were attacking a neighbouring community and they quickly mobilised themselves to rescue the community.

In response to the Boko Haram siege, the commandant ordered the deployment of three vehicles carrying armed soldiers to the community.

Tragically, one of the vehicles struck an electro-explosive device (EED) in the Mugunu area of Maiduguri, resulting in the loss of all but one of the soldiers on board.

A military source said: “They (referring to the deceased soldiers) were called that a neighbouring community is under attack by Boko Haram.

“So their commandant said they should go. So they moved with the commandant around 5 am (on Thursday) in a convoy. The first and second vehicles passed, his own was the third, the EED device exploded and scattered all of them in the vehicle. They were seven.”

“We are waiting for their official call because they said they would look for their parts and pack them to the morgue and attach their service number before they contact family members of the deceased soldiers,” the source added.