Agency Report
Six Nigerian soldiers are reportedly killed in an ambush by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Sunday.
The incident occurred in the North East, centre of the Boko Haram uprising which has dragged on for years.
The Sunday incident was confirmed by military sources.
The terrorists had laid in wait for the soldiers near the village of Mayanti, near the border with Cameroon.
The area remains one of the theatres of incessant attacks by the terrorists. Thereafter, they had opened fire on the army convoy.
Meanwhile, the convoy was on its way to a neighbouring town, when it came under attack.
A military source claimed that the soldiers were hit by heavy gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades deployed by the terrorists.
Although taken by surprise, the convoy had done its best to repel the attack. In the ensuing gunfire, six soldiers had been killed.
Boko Haram has waged over a decade-long insurgency against the Nigerian government.
The seemingly unending crisis has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people. In addition, it has led to the displacement of over two million residents from their homes in the restive North-East.
Adding to the tenuous nature of the crisis is the involvement of a splinter group; the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) which split from Boko Haram in 2016.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the United Nations has complained of a surge in violence; especially in the conflict zone in recent weeks.
The anger has been growing among local residents about the army’s failure to stop the attacks.
This is largely due to the fact that the military has repeatedly claimed that the insurgency has been defeated. However, attacks against civilians and soldiers continue on a near-daily basis.
The conflict has spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional coalition to fight the insurgents.