No fewer than six suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province have been killed after an improvised explosive device detonated prematurely in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources who spoke with Vanguard said the incident occurred around 7 am on Saturday at Jubilaram, where the terrorists were reportedly assembling the explosive device.
The sources said the IED-making team was led by a suspected bomb expert, Abu Umar, who died in the explosion alongside five other fighters.
Three other members of the group reportedly sustained serious injuries.
The suspects were said to be part of ISWAP’s IED-making cell operating within the Marte–Kerenoa–Wulgo axis, a known insurgent route in the Lake Chad Basin.
The explosion reportedly destroyed an IED manufacturing site located between Arinna Maimasallaci and Arinna Ciki.
Security sources said the death of Abu Umar and other bomb-making specialists could disrupt ISWAP’s explosives operations in the area.
The incident occurred hours after joint United States forces and the Nigerian Army reportedly killed a top ISWAP commander operating in the Lake Chad region.
Military sources said the development could weaken ISWAP’s operational capacity along key routes in the Marte axis.
Security authorities are reportedly considering follow-up air and ground operations to further deny the insurgents freedom of movement in the area.