A Deputy Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Mallam Ibrahim Maliya Saidu has died after his patrol vehicle rammed onto a planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) while on duty along Biu -Mandaragirau- Damboa -Maiduguri Road axis of Borno State.

The deceased was said to have been very supportive in the fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP.

The incident took place between Biu- Mandaragirau communities on Wednesday afternoon. It occurred about 40km from Biu council area also caused various degrees of injury to other occupants of the patrol vehicle.

The road had remained closed for motorists and passengers for many years due to activities of insurgency, even though there are some villages still occupied by the civilian populace, especially within the Biu local government area of the state.

The Deputy Governor of the state, who hails from Biu, Umar Usman Kadafur, in an interview, described the death of Maliya Saidu as a great loss in the fight against Boko Haram.

He praised the deceased for his dedication and commitment towards restoring peace in the state.

Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.

In 2021, it appointed Wali Sani Shuwaram, a 45-year-old as the new leader (Wali) of ISWAP in Lake Chad.

The terror group has caused over 100,000 deaths and displaced millions of people mainly in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.