ABUJA, Nigeria — Recent reports indicate that a convoy belonging to a Nigerian government security agency faced an assault by Boko Haram militants in north-central Nigeria, resulting in at least seven members being unaccounted for, according to official sources.

On Monday, a group of 80 security personnel, assigned to safeguard the electrical infrastructure, was ambushed in the Shiroro area of Niger state by around 200 insurgents, as confirmed by Babawale Afolabi, a spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Afolabi further stated that the confrontation resulted in the deaths of at least 50 militants.

Boko Haram is notorious for its activities aimed at disrupting power supplies across Nigeria. As reported by the state-owned Transmission Company of Nigeria, a significant power outage impacted northern regions for over a week last month due to damages inflicted on infrastructure by the insurgents.

While Boko Haram is primarily active in northeastern Nigeria, the government has acknowledged the presence of its factions in the largely Muslim Niger state, the site of the recent convoy attack. This area has previously witnessed assaults targeting military forces and non-combatants alike.

Since its inception in 2009, Boko Haram has aimed to challenge Western educational values and enforce a strict version of Islamic law, leading to what has become the longest-running conflict in Africa involving militant activism. The discord has, unfortunately, extended beyond Nigeria into neighboring countries as well.

According to the United Nations, the ongoing violence has resulted in approximately 35,000 civilian deaths and displaced over two million individuals in the northeastern part of Nigeria. The world was particularly shocked in 2014 when Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls from the village of Chibok in Borno state, a pivotal location in the conflict.

In a tragic incident in September, reports emerged of at least 100 villagers being killed when suspected Boko Haram members attacked a local market, opened fire on worshippers, and targeted people in their residences, as recounted by community members.