Twenty-three Nigerian soldiers are reportedly missing after Boko Haram insurgents ambushed their convoy on Saturday in Balagallaye, a remote village northeast of the Borno State capital, Maiduguri.

According to civilian vigilante sources, the soldiers were ambushed by members of the dreaded sect when some of the vehicles in their convoy got stuck in the mud on their way to fight the terrorists that had gathered in the village.

“Up until now, 23 troops have not been accounted for. They include five officers and 18 soldiers.

“They came under attack from Boko Haram terrorists in Balagallaye village in the Boboshe area outside Bama,” one of the sources said.

“Only three vehicles have made it back to Bama, the remaining eight and scores of soldiers are still missing. Their fate is still unclear. We lost eight vehicles. That’s a lot,” he added.

Another member of the civilian militia confirmed the development, saying: “It is not known if they escaped into the bush, were killed or captured. You know it is now rainy season and the roads are water-logged.

The convoy got stuck in the mud and Boko Haram opened fire. It was a perfect ambush and the soldiers were on the defensive. So far, three vehicles have returned. The other eight have either been destroyed or captured by Boko Haram,” he said.