At least two soldiers were reportedly killed and several others injured after a military vehicle conveying troops to Bargaja community in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State struck an improvised explosive device (IED) allegedly planted by bandits.
The troops were said to be responding to a distress call following a bandit attack on the community in the early hours of Saturday when the explosion occurred along the Isa–Bargaja road.
Residents said the attackers stormed the village between 12:30 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., firing sporadically and forcing frightened villagers to seek urgent military intervention.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the bandits strategically planted the explosive device before the arrival of the security operatives.
“They were on their way to rescue us when the vehicle hit the explosive. Many soldiers were affected. One of the soldiers involved in the incident later ran into our village seeking help after the explosion,” the resident said, adding that the injured soldier sustained severe injuries to his leg.
Expressing concern over the growing sophistication of attacks in the area, the resident added: “We have seen the bodies of two soldiers, but we cannot say whether there were more casualties.”
Another resident, who said he visited the military camp in Isa town to sympathise with the troops, disclosed that members of the community travelled to condole with the soldiers after the incident.
“We hired two vehicles from our community and went to Isa to condole with the military over the loss of their personnel,” he said.
The source further claimed that three soldiers, including the driver of the affected vehicle, lost their lives in the attack and that the remains of the deceased were later evacuated to Sokoto.
Another source familiar with the incident alleged that the troops were caught in a coordinated ambush while responding to the emergency call.
According to the source, the attackers allowed an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) leading the convoy to pass before launching an assault on the Hilux vehicle behind it.
“The APC was at the front and was allowed to pass. The attackers then opened fire and detonated an explosive device targeting the Hilux behind it,” the source alleged.
He also claimed that one of the security personnel fled into a nearby forest during the attack and that efforts were ongoing to locate and rescue him.
The source said exchanges of gunfire between security operatives and the attackers continued throughout the night, leaving residents in fear.
“We never slept yesterday because of the sound of gunfire. I can’t confirm the exact number of the casualties. Wait till after we gathered the accurate information about the incident,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official confirmation of the incident from the military authorities.
Similarly, the spokesperson of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, did not respond to calls, text messages or WhatsApp enquiries seeking comment.
Efforts to reach the Chairman of Isa Local Government Area, Sharehu Abubakar Kamarawa, were also unsuccessful as his phone lines were unreachable and messages sent to him had not been answered.
