Two soldiers were reportedly k!lled and several others injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) allegedly exploded on a military vehicle conveying troops to Bargaja community in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The troops were said to be responding to a distress call following a bandit attack on the community in the early hours of Saturday, June 21, 2026.
Residents stated that armed bandits invaded the village between 12:30am and 3:00am, shooting sporadically and forcing residents to seek military intervention.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that the attackers planted an IED along the Isa-Bargaja road before the arrival of the troops.
“They were on their way to rescue us when the vehicle hit the explosive. Many soldiers were affected. One of the soldiers involved in the incident later ran into our village seeking help after the explosion,\u201d he said, adding that the soldier sustained serious injuries on his leg.
The resident said the incident occurred on a section of the road linking Isa and Bargaja and expressed concern over what he described as the increasing use of explosive devices by bandits.
\u201cWe have seen the bodies of two soldiers, but we cannot say whether there were more casualties,\u201d he said, calling on the authorities to take urgent measures to address the security situation.
Another resident who claimed to have visited the military camp in Isa town to condole with the troops said they travelled from Bargaja to sympathise with the soldiers following the incident.
\u201cWe hired two vehicles from our community and went to Isa to condole with the military over the loss of their personnel,\u201d he said.
The source claimed that three soldiers, including a driver, lost their lives in the attack, adding that one of the victims was severely affected by the explosion.
He said the remains of the deceased personnel were later evacuated to Sokoto.
Another source who is familiar with the developments in the area also alleged that the troops came under a coordinated ambush while responding to the distress call from residents.
According to the source, the attackers allowed an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicle leading the convoy to pass before targeting a Hilux vehicle behind it with gunfire and an explosive device.
\u201cThe APC was at the front and was allowed to pass. The attackers then opened fire and detonated an explosive device targeting the Hilux behind it,\u201d the source alleged.
He added that one of the security personnel reportedly fled into a nearby forest during the incident and that efforts were ongoing to locate and rescue him.
The source further said residents, security personnel and the attackers were engaged in exchanges throughout the night, creating tension across the area.
\u201cWe never slept yesterday because of the sound of gunfire. I can\u2019t confirm the exact number of the casualties. Wait till after we gathered the accurate information about the incident,\u201d the source said.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Two soldiers were reportedly k!lled and several others injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) allegedly exploded on a military vehicle conveying troops to Bargaja community in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The troops were said to be responding to a distress call following a bandit attack on the community in the early […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n