Suspected Lakurawa terrorists have reportedly killed seven soldiers in an ambush at Runji village, about 10 kilometres from Illela town in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Locals revealed that the killing took place on Saturday evening as the soldiers were returning from a military operation against a Lakurawa hideout, adding that the soldiers in three military vehicles, had invaded the terrorists’ camp, an operation that dealt heavy casualties on the terrorists.
It was learnt that one of the military vehicles developed a mechanical fault when the soldiers were returning to base in Illela, forcing some of the soldiers to stop by the roadside to repair it.
A source said “the terrorists had apparently mobilised and trailed the soldiers to retaliate the earlier attack on their camp,” adding that the terrorists invaded 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,” the source said, adding that seven soldiers and one civilian were shot in the process.
Another local said at first, six soldiers were confirmed dead at the scene and another body was later found in a nearby bush, bringing the death toll to seven.
A government official in the area revealed that 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.
