Gunmen believed to be Boko Haram Islamists killed 10 people in an ambush on an oil exploration team in northeast Nigeria, the army said Wednesday.
"Suspected Boko Haram terrorists ambushed the escort and team of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) staff returning from oil exploration" in the Magumeri area of Borno state on Tuesday afternoon, said army spokesman Sani Usman in a statement.
"So far, they have rescued all the NNPC staff and recovered the corpses of the officer, eight soldiers and a civilian who have been evacuated to 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital," Usman said.
"The troops are not relenting in the pursuit, search and rescue effort."
Initially, it was believed that Boko Haram had kidnapped the 10 oil workers, who had been contracted to carry out research work on oil exploration activities in the Lake Chad basin.
But the latest information appears to show that Boko Haram launched an ambush, resulting in a pitched battle between Nigerian security forces and the jihadists.
Exploration has started in Nigeria's inland basins, ranging from central Benue state to Boko Haram's heartland in the northeast.
But insecurity caused by the eight-year Islamist insurgency has disrupted work.
Boko Haram has killed over 20,000 people since it took up arms against the Nigerian government in 2009.
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