Boko Haram booby trap kills Nigerian soldiers

A booby trap set by the group Boko Haram has detonated in a barracks in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, killing at least 10 Nigerian soldiers and injuring several others.

Al Jazeera’s Yvonne Ndege reported that the Monguno barracks was previously under the control of Boko Haram but had been retaken by the Nigerian army a couple of months ago.

“Amid sorting out the barracks explosive devices were found and accidentally went off,” our correspondent said of Tuesday’s incident.

“The military believe it was some sort of booby trap set by Boko Haram before they were killed or fled.”

Nigerian fighters routinely use improvised explosive devices in their attacks.

Boko Haram had taken control of a large swathe of northeast Nigeria until a multinational force this year forced them out of towns and villages. Nigeria’s military says the group is now confined to the Sambisa Forest.

Bombings and hit-and-run attacks continue, however.

Suspected Boko Haram gunmen last week killed 37 people in raids on five villages around Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, a military source and a local village defence group said.

Fighters from the armed group, who arrived in four-wheel drive vehicles and on motorcycles, fired into houses and shot fleeing locals during Wednesday evening and the early hours of Thursday, the military source said on Friday.