Details as mine blast kills nine soldiers; bandit attacks spread to Kwara, Niger

At least nine Nigerian soldiers were killed and five others seriously injured on Sunday when their convoy hit a landmine and came under heavy fire from terrorists in Borno State, highlighting the persistent security challenges in parts of the country.

The attack occurred near Bindundul village, about 12 miles from Kareto, an area known for the activities of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters. Security sources from the Damasak Brigade said the soldiers were travelling from Maiduguri to Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area, when the incident happened around 4pm.

“The terrorists planted a mine which our troops stepped on. About nine soldiers died instantly, while five others sustained serious injuries,” one of the sources said.

A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Abba Kaka Tuja, who participated in the rescue operation, confirmed that an armoured vehicle was destroyed in the explosion, followed by sporadic gunfire from the attackers.

Meanwhile, the military said troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) recorded a major success in a separate operation in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, where five terrorists were killed and kidnapped civilians rescued.

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 credible intelligence on terrorist movements along the Sojiri axis.

According to him, troops, working alongside the CJTF, engaged the terrorists at a known crossing point, neutralising five of them without any casualty on the side of the military. Three abducted civilians were also rescued, while weapons, including AK-47 rifles and other materials, were recovered.

Uba said the operation demonstrated the professionalism and combat effectiveness of the troops, adding that morale remained high across the North-east theatre despite evolving security threats.

Beyond the North-east, insecurity continued to spread to other parts of the country. In Kwara State, suspected bandits abducted four travellers along the Isanlu–Isin–Omu-Aran Road in Irepodun Local Government Area.

The abduction came days after armed men kidnapped the monarch of Aafin community in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, and his son on December 31, 2025. The bandits reportedly demanded a ransom of N450m for their release.

Sources said the attackers operated freely on the road, forcing vehicles to stop before marching the victims into the forest. While no official statement had been issued by the Kwara State Police Command, a senior police officer in Omu-Aran confirmed the incident, saying efforts were underway to rescue the victims.

In Kebbi State, the government announced the reopening of schools in major cities and towns, citing improvements in the security situation. Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Halimatu Bande, said only schools within urban areas were approved to resume, while those outside would reopen later.

She urged parents, guardians and education officials to comply with the directive, thanking Governor Nasir Idris for his support for education and security.

However, concerns over national security deepened as 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 conference in Abuja, UN-WCD Secretary-General, Professor Tunji Asaolu, said recent attacks, including the killing of about 42 people at Kasuwan Daji in Niger State, showed the need for urgent recalibration of Nigeria’s security architecture. He argued that redeploying Matawalle would help restore public confidence, citing lingering allegations dating back to his tenure as Zamfara governor.

Reacting to the Niger attack, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, described the killings as “heart-breaking, senseless and a tragic reminder of worsening insecurity.”

She condoled with the families of the victims and called on the federal government to adopt a more proactive, intelligence-driven approach to security, stressing that Nigeria must not normalise such tragedies.

“Nigeria cannot afford to normalise these horrors. Protecting lives and property remains the foremost duty of any government,” she noted.