Boko Haram Borno IED Attack: Eight Dead, 11 Injured on Maiduguri Road
Tragedy struck in northeast Nigeria on Saturday as a Boko Haram Borno IED attack killed eight passengers and injured eleven more. The explosion occurred around 11:45 am along the Maiduguri–Damboa road, specifically in Komala village, Konduga LGA of Borno State.
According to local authorities, the incident involved a Hummer bus with registration number Jigawa MMR144 which ran over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram insurgents.
Emergency Response & Gridlock Aftermath
A source at the Borno State police command confirmed:
“Eight persons died, while 11 others sustained injury. The IED was suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram terrorists.”
Following the incident, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team began a thorough clearance operation while Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Damboa and Konduga ramped up security surveillance across the region.
Eyewitnesses described heavy gridlock and civilian distress along the road, with some motorists unable to continue their journeys as emergency personnel conducted clearance operations.
Victims and Public Reaction
Multiple drivers who plied the road that afternoon confirmed witnessing crowds gathered at the explosion site.
“The scene was chaotic. People had gathered, and we were delayed due to police clearance,” a driver named Aminu Ismaila told IDNN.
Another unnamed driver added:
“It was not a collision. The damage clearly pointed to an explosion. The bus was torn apart.”
Ongoing Security Challenges in Borno
The Boko Haram Borno IED attack underscores the continued threat faced by civilians in Nigeria’s northeast, despite repeated claims by the government of degrading insurgent capabilities.
Security analysts warn that sporadic IED attacks on civilian transport routes remain a deadly tactic used by insurgents to instill fear and control movement in conflict-prone zones.
“It was an explosion — not an accident. The bus was destroyed beyond recognition.”
– Eyewitness account of the Boko Haram Borno IED attack