Landmine Blast Kills 12 In Borno

In a tragic incident in northeast Nigeria’s Borno State, near the Cameroon border, 12 loggers were killed when their vehicle hit a landmine, suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram jihadists.

This incident, which occurred on Monday, was reported by two NGOs operating in the region.

The loggers were en route to the bush to collect firewood when their flat-bed vehicle triggered the mine outside Pulka village.

The blast represents the latest attack in a region that has been the epicenter of a decade-long jihadist insurgency led by Boko Haram, a terrorist group.

Despite being pushed back from large areas they once controlled, militants continue to target rural zones, planting landmines that often result in civilian casualties.

According to one of the NGO reports, the explosive, believed to have been set up by Boko Haram, resulted in 12 deaths and several injuries on the Pulka to Gwoza route.

According to Vanguard, another report confirmed the same toll, adding that seven other loggers were injured, with three in critical condition and evacuated to Maiduguri for further medical treatment.

There has been a noticeable increase in mine explosions targeting civilian convoys in the area, with jihadists often blamed for these attacks.