As hundreds of security forces are reaching the border towns of Borno and Adamawa states for operations meant to flush out insurgents believed to have camped in Sambista forest, several soldiers were hospitalised, following an accident involving their armoured vehicles along Madagali road yesterday.
Army spokesman, Captain Jafaru Nuhu, when contacted, kept mute. However, local residents said the incident happened “in a tiny sharp bridge at Wuro Gayandi”, few kilometers away from Michika town on Madagali road.
The soldiers were on their way to the troubled-border area of Madagali and Gwoza, to flush out members of Boko Haram.
“A tinted armoured vehicle being conveyed on truck crashed into the small river, injuring the soldiers on aboard,” said Mr Musa Kwaji, who assisted in conveying the injured soldiers to a nearby cottage hospital in Madagali.
“(It’s an) unfortunate incident. Our key priority is to ensure the injured soldiers are suitably looked after,” a hospital source confided in our correspondent.
Men of the Air Force and Army are now involved in the campaign in the two states borders, which are the hotbed of the Boko Haram uprising that has caused the death of thousands since 2009.
Security sources said that heavily-equipped military teams arrived the border areas that share the border with Niger and Cameroon so as to “recapture localities subdued by terrorists.”
“Some of the vans drove through the road leading to Sambista forest where the insurgents usually come from to launch attacks,” resident Aminu Ya’u said.