30 soldiers, hunters killed in roadside bomb in Mubi

From Umar Dankano, Yola

A roadside bomb was yesterday detonated killing scores of soldiers in Marraban-Mubi, about 18 kilometers from Mubi town, in Adamawa State, which was recently recaptured by Nigerian troops and local hunters.

Reports from the area revealed that the incident happened around 7:00 p.m., when the team of Nigerian troops and local hunters were conducting routine supervision of the area yesterday.

Five local hunters in the convoy have reportedly sustained injuries during the incident and were said to have been taken to Adamawa Specialist Hospital, where they were treated and discharged.

Military sources, who confirmed the incident to reporters, however stated that only five soldiers were killed while dozens others sustained

various degrees of injuries.

A resident of Mubi, who does not want to be mentioned said he heard a loud bang as the military convoy was passing on routine surveillance sparking apprehension as residents thought Boko Haram insurgents have launched another attack on the town again.

“The loud bang we heard sparked apprehension as many thought Boko Haram insurgents have re-launched another offensive against the Nigerian troops and local hunters who are now in control of the town.

“Many people hurriedly run to their homes while others ran into nearby bushes for the fear of being hit by bullets or trapped by the insurgents,” he said.

As a result of the development, security operatives have modified the existing curfew in the recaptured towns of Hong, Gombi and Mubi from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., to restore order and sanity.

“The curfew has been adjusted to commence between 6:00pm to 6:00am till normalcy has returned to the troubled areas,” a military source disclosed.

In the wake of the roadside bomb detonation, the military reportedly intensified stop and search as they mounted many road blocks in other to fish out remnants of Boko Haram insurgents and to prevent movement of weapons in the town.

The bomb incident in Mubi happened less than 24 hours after the blockade of the Federal Highway linking Mubi was lifted, as a result of which the security operatives modified the curfew imposed on the areas affected by the insurgency.