Five soldiers killed in suicide car bomb attack

Five soldiers have been killed when a Boko Haram suicide car bomber attacked a military convoy in the Northeast.

About 40 others were injured in the Thursday attack at Manguzum village.

The attacker targeted the convoy said to be conducting clearance operations between Yobe and Borno states,even as the Defence headquarters insisted yesterday that there is no ‘resurgence of insurgency’in the North East, particularly in Borno in spite of pockets of attacks and suicide bombings there.

Security sources said the suicide bomber, riding in a van loaded with explosives, rammed into the military convoy.

A military officer who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorised to speak about the incident,confirmed the incident

The Defence Headquarters, however,reassured Nigerians yesterday that there was no ‘resurgence of insurgency’ in the North East, particularly in Borno in spite of pockets of attacks and suicide bombings in the area.

The Director Defence Information, Maj-Gen. John Enenche said in Abuja that the military, particularly the Nigerian army had re-strategized to deal with those attacks.

“The general public has a feeling which I have been made to understand that there seems to be like there is resurgence of the Boko haram activities in the North East, particularly in Borno State,” he said.

“I stand here this morning to tell you categorically that it is not true.

“Let me also remind you that the Boko Haram groups, I called them groups because it is not one. They vary in their characteristics and behaviour.

“They are not professional, they do not know what we armed forces of Nigeria, know.

“It is not that we have become docile or dormant, no.

“The apprehension from the public is becoming much from the dossier I get, but I am assuring them that the new tactics adopted by the military in eliminating the terrorists is working.”

The defence spokesman said some of the terrorists were willingly giving up themselves, but vowed that the die-hard among them would sooner than later meet their waterloo.