A suicide bomber on Tuesday rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a Nigerian military convoy operating in the notorious Timbuktu Triangle of Borno State, killing five soldiers and injuring several others, security sources have confirmed.
The attack reportedly occurred as troops were returning from a successful clearance operation against insurgents in the volatile enclave. Among those affected were two senior officers—a major and a lieutenant—according to sources familiar with the incident.
One military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the blast caused extensive damage to armoured and logistics vehicles deployed for the ongoing operation.
“Every operation comes with setbacks, but we overcame this,” the officer said. “Unfortunately, we lost five soldiers in the incident. Manga, the Commander, is hale and hearty, and the operation continues.”
The remains of the fallen soldiers have been airlifted to Maiduguri, while the injured personnel were evacuated for medical attention.
The Timbuktu Triangle, a stretch of territory in northern Borno, remains one of the most dangerous insurgent strongholds in the North-East, notorious for repeated ambushes and high-profile attacks, including the past capture and execution of Brigadier General Musa Uba.
The latest attack came barely 24 hours after the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, announced major operational gains in the same area. On Monday, the task force said troops had cleared several terrorist camps and repelled multiple drone attacks under the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity.
In a statement, the spokesman of the operation, Lt-Col Sani Uba, disclosed that troops recovered assorted weapons and logistics from fleeing insurgents, including Baofeng radios, firearms, ammunition, petroleum products, medical supplies, and Boko Haram/ISWAP flags.
“Despite drone attacks by the terrorists, troops maintained momentum, repelled several offensives and forced the insurgents to withdraw,” Lt-Col Uba said, adding that troop morale remains high.
He stressed that military operations in the North-East would continue unabated. “The Military High Command affirms that operations will continue. Our forces remain resolute in eliminating terrorist threats, protecting civilians, and restoring lasting peace and stability in the North East,” he said.
