Borno Convoy Attack: 15 Soldiers and CJTF Members Killed in Landmine Blast

At least 15 people, including 10 Nigerian soldiers and five members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), have been killed after a military convoy struck a landmine and came under gunfire in Borno State, according to military sources.

The incident occurred on Saturday as troops from a battalion in Gamboru were patrolling a road between Gamboru Ngala and the area bordering Cameroon in northeastern Nigeria, Reuters reported on Monday.

According to two soldiers who spoke to Reuters, a pickup truck detonated a landmine believed to have been planted by Boko Haram insurgents. The explosion reportedly killed eight soldiers travelling in the vehicle.

Gunmen subsequently opened fire on a second vehicle, killing two additional soldiers and five CJTF members, who assist the military in its operations against insurgents.

Six wounded soldiers were taken to Maimalari Military Hospital in Maiduguri for treatment, the sources said. The reported casualty figures could not be independently verified by Reuters.

Military spokesperson Captain Mohammed Goni declined requests for comment on the incident.

Borno State remains at the centre of Nigeria’s prolonged insurgency, with Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), continuing to attack military positions, patrols and civilian communities.

The armed groups have frequently used roadside explosives, ambushes and coordinated assaults against security personnel operating in remote areas and along routes close to Nigeria’s borders.

The latest attack follows another deadly assault on a military base in Mairari, Borno State, where reports said 15 soldiers and five CJTF members were killed in an attack attributed to suspected jihadist fighters. The base attack was a separate incident from the convoy ambush.

Despite years of military operations, the insurgency continues to pose a major security challenge across northeastern Nigeria, resulting in military and civilian casualties and the displacement of communities.

The latest convoy attack underscores the continuing risks faced by troops and local security volunteers conducting patrols in areas where insurgents remain active.