An exclusive report by SaharaReporters has revealed that three young personnel of the 152 Task Force Battalion, Banki town in Borno State have been killed.

The soldiers were confirmed dead after running into an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād.

SaharaReporters gathered that the troops were on fighting patrol around 10 am on Thursday when the vehicle drives over the planted IED. 

One of the victims was identified as Ogbosomi; he reportedly joined the Army in 2020.

“Three of our men were killed after a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) struck a convoy of troops during a fighting patrol.

“The incident happened around 10 am on Thursday. One of them is Ogbosomi and he joined the Army in 2020 which is 20NA. The other two remaining soldiers are of 21NA and 22NA as well,” a military source told SaharaReporters.

Improvised explosive devices and ambushes continue to pose a major threat to soldiers fighting Boko Haram and ISWAP in Northern Nigeria.

Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.

The sect’s membership has swollen with the defection of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters under Shekau.

The terror group has killed thousands of people and displaced millions of individuals mainly in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.