An improvised explosive device (IED) believed to have been planted by militants associated with the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Gamborun LGA of Borno State, have reportedly killed eight members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
The attack also left three other individuals with varying degrees of injuries.
According to reports from Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert focusing on the Lake Chad region, the CJTF members were en route to Maiduguri from Gamborun Ngala when they tragically encountered the landmine on Saturday.
The explosive device detonated instantly, claiming the lives of eight task force members.
The publication further detailed that the injured victims were promptly evacuated to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The bodies of the deceased CJTF members were transported back to their families to begin funeral arrangements.
This recent attack is part of a continuing pattern of violence in the region, where ISWAP has frequently targeted military and civilian populations.
Just earlier this month, on April 21, troops of the Nigerian Army reportedly destroyed a bread factory used by ISWAP militants as a hideout in Borno, marking a small victory in the ongoing battle against the insurgents.
Additionally, the region saw significant action in January when military airstrikes resulted in the deaths of three ISWAP commanders and 22 other members of the group.
More recently, on April 17, an IED attack attributed to ISWAP militants killed 10 passengers and injured 20 others traveling in a commercial vehicle within the state.