Suspected members of the Lakurawa terrorist group have reportedly killed seven Nigerian soldiers during a deadly ambush in Runji village, located about 10 kilometres from Illela town in Sokoto State.
Among those reportedly killed was Lieutenant Abdullahi Ismail Chafe, a senior military officer said to be preparing for his wedding scheduled for June 13, 2026, a development that has left residents and security personnel devastated.
According to reports, the attack occurred on the evening of Saturday, May 16, 2026, as troops were returning from a military offensive targeting a suspected Lakurawa hideout in the area.
Local sources disclosed that the soldiers had stormed the terrorists’ camp using three military vehicles in what was described as a coordinated assault believed to have caused significant losses to the armed group.
However, trouble reportedly began during the return journey to the military base in Illela after one of the operational vehicles developed a mechanical fault. Some of the soldiers were said to have stopped along the route to repair the damaged vehicle, unknowingly exposing themselves to danger.
A source familiar with the incident revealed that the terrorists may have tracked the troops after the earlier raid on their camp and launched a retaliatory attack.
“The attackers appeared to have regrouped after the military operation and followed the soldiers to avenge the assault on their hideout,” the source explained.
The source further stated that the assailants arrived on nearly 30 motorcycles, each reportedly carrying three heavily armed fighters.
“They encountered the troops while the faulty vehicle was being repaired, and an intense gun battle followed,” the source added.
Another account of the incident claimed that the soldiers had eventually abandoned the broken-down vehicle and were trekking back to base with the assistance of a civilian guide familiar with the terrain when the ambush occurred.
According to the source, the attackers opened fire on the group, killing seven soldiers alongside the civilian guide.
Residents of Illela also recounted the aftermath of the attack, with one eyewitness saying at least six bodies of soldiers were initially recovered at the scene, while another corpse was discovered in a nearby bush the following day.
“We counted seven bodies altogether after another soldier’s remains were later found,” the resident said while requesting anonymity due to security concerns.
Security officials reportedly confirmed that the bodies of the slain personnel had been evacuated to Sokoto for further arrangements.
A senior military officer who spoke anonymously acknowledged that the military suffered casualties during the encounter but stressed that reinforcements had already been deployed to the affected area.
“Yes, there was a painful loss involving our personnel around Illela over the weekend. Tactical reinforcements have since been mobilised, and intelligence-driven operations are ongoing to hunt down those responsible,” the officer stated.
The officer also appealed to the media and the public to avoid spreading unverified casualty figures, noting that military authorities would first notify the families of the fallen soldiers before officially releasing their identities.
He added that attention should remain on the sacrifices and bravery of troops risking their lives daily to combat insecurity across the country.
