A soldier has been feared killed by Boko Haram insurgents in an attack on a military base in Sabon Gari, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
Confirming the attack, the state Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said one officer was killed and another injured.
Local sources speaking to PUNCH Online said the attack was unleashed on Monday evening when the insurgents attacked the military formation, shooting sporadically and killing many troops, leaving others with critical injuries.
While details of the attack are still scanty, a resident in Damboa, Abba Usman, said a military reinforcement also stepped on a landmine and exploded, leading to injuries and possible casualties of other troops.
“I do not have much information, but I can confirm that there was an attack and soldiers were killed. Here, we also heard about how soldiers rushing to the base for reinforcement stepped on something like a bomb and it exploded,” Usman said.
A military source also confirmed that there was an attack, but refused to disclose the number of soldiers killed.
“There was an attack, many soldiers were killed, but the figure is currently not known,” the source confirmed.
When our correspondent contacted the Spokesperson of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt Colonel A. Y Jingina via text message for comments on the attack, said, “Please, I am out of station and Sabon Gari is under Sector 2”
Confirming the attack Tar, said,
“I can confirm, there was an IED attack in a place called Wajiroko (under Damboa). What happened is that our military personnel stepped on an IED. We lost one and one sustained injury. It was not an attack, it was an IED our soldiers stepped on .”
