Suspected Lakurawa terrorists have reportedly killed some soldiers in an ambush at Runji village, about 10 kilometres from Illela town in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Daily Trust quoted sources as disclosing that the incident occurred on Saturday evening, when the troops were returning from a military operation against a Lakurawa hideout in the area.
The soldiers were said to have earlier launched an attack on the terrorists’ camp using three military vehicles, an operation residents believed inflicted heavy casualties on the armed group.
A source familiar with the incident said one of the military vehicles developed a mechanical fault while the troops were returning to their base in Illela.
The fault reportedly forced some of the soldiers to stop by the roadside to repair the vehicle.
The source said the terrorists appeared to have mobilised after the earlier raid on their camp and allegedly trailed the troops to launch a reprisal attack.
“The terrorists had apparently mobilised and trailed the soldiers to retaliate for the earlier attack on their camp,” the source said.
He added that the attackers stormed the area on about 30 motorcycles, with each motorcycle carrying three heavily armed fighters.
“They met the soldiers where the faulty vehicle was being repaired and a fierce gun battle ensued for some time,” the source added.
There were conflicting accounts on the number of soldiers killed in the attack.
Some residents claimed that seven soldiers were killed, while another account said seven soldiers and one civilian guide died in the ambush.
A source said the soldiers had abandoned the faulty vehicle and were returning to base on foot with the aid of a civilian familiar with the terrain when they were attacked.
“The soldiers had abandoned the faulty vehicle and were walking back to their base with the aid of an unnamed civilian who mastered the terrain very well when the Lakurawa ambushed them, killing seven soldiers and their civilian guide,” the source said.
Another resident of Illela, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said at least six soldiers were initially confirmed dead at the scene, while the body of another soldier was later found in a nearby bush.
“We saw seven corpses at the scene, and another body was found the following day,” he said.
Security sources also confirmed that the bodies of the slain soldiers had been evacuated to Sokoto.
A government official in the area said a senior military officer, said to be a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army, was among those killed in the ambush.
The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, and the Special Adviser on Security Matters, Col. Ahmed Usman, declined to comment on the incident.
However, a senior military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that six soldiers were killed.
The officer said, “Yes, we recorded a regrettable casualty over the weekend around Ilela. However, immediate tactical reinforcements have been deployed to the area, while aggressive intelligence-led operations are ongoing to track and neutralise the terrorists responsible.
“In line with military tradition, we cannot disclose the identities of our fallen heroes until their next of kin have been duly notified.
“We therefore urge the media to respect the privacy of the affected families and refrain from publishing unverified casualty figures. Instead, attention should be focused on the sacrifices and commitment of our troops.”
The officer added that tactical reinforcements had been deployed to the affected area as security forces intensified operations to track those behind the ambush.
The attack comes amid sustained security operations against the Lakurawa fighters in Sokoto and neighbouring states.
A recent report said troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA killed two suspected members of the Lakurawa group during a counter-terrorism operation in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Communities in parts of Sokoto, including Tangaza, Binji, Gudu and Illela, have faced repeated attacks linked to the Lakurawa network.