From Molly Kilete, Abuja
THE Nigerian Army, yesterday, said an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted by members of the Boko-Haram terrorist group killed one soldier and four others at Biu, in Borno State.
The incident happened yesterday at about 8.15am, near a military check point, after a tricycle, popularly known as “Keke NAPEP” stepped on the IED, said to have been planted by the side of Biu/Damboa road.
Four persons, among them a woman and her baby and two other males were said to have died on the spot, while three others including the deceased soldier sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the Biu General Hospital.
However, the soldier died on the road before they got to the hospital.
A statement issued by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, said the scene of the explosion has been cordoned off while personnel from the Explosive Ordinance Device (EOD), from Forward Operation Base (FOB) in Buratai, have since been mobilised to carry out further search of the area.
Usman, while commiserating with the families of the dead and those who sustained injuries, however, maintained that the explosion would not deter the military from carrying out its offensive to wipe out the Boko Haram terrorists wherever they might be hiding.
The army spokesman, who appealed for more support and cooperation from members of the public to help the military succeed in routing the remnants of the criminal elements ,
He Said: “Preliminary investigations shows that the IED was buried long time ago undetected. It exploded when the tricycle erroneously stepped on it.
“This unfortunate development has brought to the fore, the need for more security consciousness and vigilance among all.”
