Six passengers have been killed after a commercial vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State.

The spokesman of Sector III of the Nigerian Army’s Operation Hadin Kai, Monguno, Capt Babatunde Zubairu, confirmed to Daily Trust that the incident happened on Wednesday along the Kekeno-Cross road in the Lake Chad area.

“Unfortunately, six passengers lost their lives, but the injured were taken to a healthcare facility for treatment,” he said.

Zubairu said the military has been educating the public on key indicators to observe and promptly report to security forces for necessary action.

He stressed that the military’s primary focus remains safeguarding civilians against the concealed threats posed by mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Local sources believed that the insurgents had planted the IEDs by the roadside to target the troops, who carried out operations in the Lake Chad general area.

One of the sources told our correspondent that since the insurgents changed their tactics of planting IEDs, civilians are the major casualties.

“The IEDs have become a nightmare on our roads, followed by the destruction of our irrigated farms by terrorist herders.

“The herders would encroach into our farms and graze on our crops and nobody would talk. Many people gave up their farms. We reported the matter to security but nothing has been done,” he said.