A military patrol was attacked by an improvised explosive device in the village of Laayi, near the town of Damasak, killing five people. Babakura Kolo, head of a local militia working with the government, attributed the attack to the Iswap group. The previous night, the same group reportedly kidnapped four residents, including a local chief, and planted the explosive device when they retreated from the area.

The Nigerian government plans to establish a new military unit to combat the ongoing jihadist insurgency in the country, as reported by the Nigerian Ministry of Defence on Wednesday.

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The move comes in response to the increasing violence in northeastern Nigeria, where the Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa (Iswap) groups control large areas of the country. The establishment of the new military unit is aimed at addressing the major challenge posed by the jihadist groups, which continue to launch deadly attacks in the region.

The ongoing jihadist insurgency has been raging in northeastern Nigeria for 14 years, resulting in over 40,000 deaths and displacing two million people, according to the United Nations. The conflict has also spread to neighboring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

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Despite efforts by the Nigerian army to combat the groups, they continue to launch deadly attacks and are increasing their offensive against each other. The creation of the new military unit is expected to address the challenges posed by the groups and help restore peace in the region.