No fewer than nine soldiers were killed on Monday and several others injured, when their convoy hit a landmine and came under fire from terrorists in BornoState.
The attack took place on Sunday near Bindundul village, some 12 miles from Kareto, an area where Daesh-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters were said to operate freely and often set up checkpoints.
According to two security sources from the Damasak brigade, “The terrorists planted a mine that our soldiers stepped on. Unfortunately, about nine soldiers died instantly, while five others were seriously injured.”
A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force involved in the rescue operation, Abba Kaka Tuja, added that an armoured vehicle was destroyed when the mine detonated, followed by sporadic gunfire from militants.
The soldiers were traveling from Maiduguri to Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area, when the attack occurred around 1600 GMT, Tuja said.
Meanwhile, troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) eliminated five terrorists and rescued kidnapped civilians during a coordinated offensive in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, the military announced.
In a statement on Monday, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant-Colonel Sani Uba, said the operation was carried out in the early hours of January 4, 2026 following credible intelligence on terrorist movements in the area.
According to the statement, troops, working in close collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), engaged the terrorists at a known crossing point along the Sojiri axis.
The encounter resulted in the neutralisation of five terrorists, with no casualties recorded among the troops.
The operation also led to the successful rescue of three civilians, who had been abducted by the fleeing terrorists.
Items recovered at the scene included AK-47 rifles and other assorted materials believed to have been used by the insurgents.
Uba said the outcome of the operation underscored the professionalism, precision and combat effectiveness of the troops, as well as the value of sustained cooperation with local security stakeholders.
He added that the success of the mission reflected OPHK’s continued commitment to aggressive offensive actions aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities, while ensuring the safety and protection of civilians.
The statement further said troop morale across the North-east theatre remained high, with security forces maintaining dominance of the operational environment, despite evolving security challenges.
It said Operation Hadin Kai was resolute in its mandate to dismantle terrorist networks and restore lasting peace and stability to the region.
In a related development, about six suspected bandits, reportedly, abducted four travellers along Isanlu-Isin-Omu-Aran Road in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The monarch of Aafin community in Ile Ere district of Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, and his son were kidnapped on December 31, 2025 around 8pm in his palace following the invasion of the palace by about eight suspected bandits.
The bandits had reached out to the residents of the community and demanded a ransom of N450 million for the release of the monarch and his son from the bandits’ den.
The suspected bandits, on Monday, stormed Isanlu-Isin-Omu-Aran road in Irepodun and abducted four travellers on the trip to Ilorin, the state capital.
The suspected bandits were said to have ambushed the travellers on the road and asked them to come down before they were later marched into the forest.
Sources close to the area told journalists in Ilorin that the attackers operated freely on the road, forcing vehicles to stop before whisking the passengers to an unknown location.
Sources added that the suspected bandits were yet to get in touch with the families of the victims for payment of ransom.
However, at the time of filing this report, there had been no official statement from the state Police Command confirming the attack or detailing efforts to rescue the abducted victims.
But a senior police officer with the Divisional Police Headquarters at Omu-Aran, who sought anonymity, confirmed the incident.
“The division has informed the state police command of the incident and we are working round the clock to secure the release of the victims,” the source said.
Hammed Shittu, Adedayo Akinwale, Sunday Aborisade, Linus Aleke and Onuminya Innocent
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