Suspected Lakurawa terrorists have allegedly k!lled seven soldiers in an ambush at Runji village, about 10 kilometres from IIIela town in IIIela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
A government official in the area disclosed that a senior military officer, Lieutenant Abdullahi Ismail Chafe, was among those k!lled in the ambush.
It was gathered that the officer was set to wed on June 13, 2026.
According to Daily Trust, the incident occurred on Saturday evening, May 16, 2026 as the troops were returning from a military operation against a Lakurawa hideout.
Residents said the soldiers had launched an assault on the terrorists’ camp using three military vehicles, an operation believed to have inflicted heavy casualties on the armed group.
A source familiar with the development said one of the military vehicles developed a mechanical fault while the troops were heading back to their base in Illela, forcing some of the soldiers to stop by the roadside to repair
“The terrorists had apparently mobilised and trailed the soldiers to retaliate for the earlier attack on their camp,” the source said.
He added that the assailants stormed the area on about 30 motorcycles, with each motorcycle carrying three heavily armed fighters.
“They met the soldiers where the faulty vehicle was being repaired and a fierce gun battle ensued for some time,” the source added.
Another account, however, said seven soldiers and one civilian were k!lled during the ambush.
“The soldiers had abandoned the faulty vehicle and were walking back to their base with the aid of an unnamed civilian who mastered the terrain very well when the Lakurawa ambushed them, k!lling seven soldiers and their civilian guide,” the source said
Another resident of Illela, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said at least six soldiers were initially confirmed d3ad at the scene, while the body of another soldier was later discovered in a nearby bush, bringing the death toll to seven.
“We saw seven corpses at the scene, and another body was found the following day,” he said.
Security sources also confirmed the attack, stating that the bodies of the slain soldiers had been evacuated to Sokoto.
A senior military officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that six soldiers were k!lled in the incident.
“Yes, we recorded a regrettable casualty over the weekend around Ilela. However, immediate tactical reinforcements have been deployed to the area, while aggressive intelligence-led operations are ongoing to track and neutralise the terrorists responsible,” the officer said.
“In line with military tradition, we cannot disclose the identities of our fallen heroes until their next of kin have been duly notified.
“We therefore urge the media to respect the privacy of the affected families and refrain from publishing unverified casualty figures. Instead, attention should be focused on the sacrifices and commitment of our troops.”
