At least nine Nigerian soldiers were killed and five others seriously injured on Sunday after their convoy struck a landmine and came under sustained terrorist attack in Borno State, underscoring the continued security crisis confronting the country.
The attack occurred near Bindundul village, about 12 miles from Kareto, an area notorious for the presence of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters. Security sources attached to the Damasak Brigade said the troops were travelling from Maiduguri to Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area, when the ambush took place at about 4pm.
“The terrorists planted an explosive device on the route. When the convoy stepped on it, an armoured vehicle was destroyed and gunmen opened fire. Nine soldiers died on the spot, while five others sustained serious injuries,” one of the sources said.
A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Abba Kaka Tuja, who took part in the rescue effort, confirmed the attack and said the troops were later evacuated from the scene.
Despite the setback, the military recorded gains in a separate operation in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, where troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) killed five terrorists and rescued kidnapped civilians.
In a statement, the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lieutenant-Colonel Sani Uba, said the operation was carried out in the early hours of January 4, 2026, following intelligence reports on terrorist movements along the Sojiri axis. He said troops, working with the CJTF, engaged the insurgents at a known crossing point, neutralising five of them without any casualty on the side of the military.
According to Uba, three abducted civilians were rescued during the encounter, while weapons, including AK-47 rifles and other items, were recovered from the scene. He said the success reflected the professionalism of the troops and their commitment to degrading terrorist networks in the North-east.
Meanwhile, insecurity spread to Kwara State, where suspected bandits abducted four travellers along the Isanlu–Isin–Omu-Aran Road in Irepodun Local Government Area.
The incident came amid continued anxiety over the December 31, 2025 abduction of the monarch of Aafin community, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, and his son in Ifelodun Local Government Area. The attackers were said to have demanded a ransom of N450m.
Local sources said the bandits mounted a road ambush, forced vehicles to stop and led the victims into the forest. Although the Kwara State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement, a senior police officer in Omu-Aran confirmed the incident and said efforts were ongoing to rescue the abducted travellers.
In Kebbi State, the government announced the reopening of schools in major cities and towns, attributing the decision to improvements in the security situation. Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Halimatu Bande, said the resumption applied to both primary and secondary schools within urban areas, while rural schools would reopen later.
She urged parents and education officials to comply with the directive and commended Governor Nasir Idris for prioritising education and security.
Amid growing concern over insecurity, the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD) and the International Institute of Experts on Political Economy and Administration (IIEPEA) called for the redeployment of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.
At a press briefing in Abuja, UN-WCD Secretary-General, Professor Tunji Asaolu, said recent attacks, including the killing of about 42 people at Kasuwan Daji market in Niger State, showed that Nigeria’s security framework required urgent review. He argued that redeploying Matawalle would help restore public confidence, citing lingering allegations from his time as Zamfara State governor.
Reacting to the Niger attack, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) described the killings as “senseless and heart-breaking,” calling on the federal government to act decisively to protect lives and property.
She extended condolences to the victims’ families and urged security agencies to adopt a more proactive, intelligence-driven approach to curb the rising wave of violence across the country.
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