Five Nigerian soldiers have reportedly been confirmed dead after their vehicle hit a mine suspected to have been planted by Islamic State group aligned jihadists near the border with Niger.
Two militia leaders told AFP that the unit was on a routine patrol in Laayi village near the northeastern town of Damasak in Borno state on Monday, April 24, when they drove over a mine.
Militia leader Babakura Kolo told the publication that the terrorists set off an improvised explosive device and it is suspected that it was planted by the Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) group. The explosion “killed all five troops on board”, he said.
The jihadists had attacked the village the previous night, kidnapping four residents including the local chief and planting the explosives while retreating.
A second militia leader, Ibrahim Liman, gave the same account and death toll as Kolo.