Abuja: A deadly explosion in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State claimed at least 26 lives on Monday, after two vehicles triggered an improvised explosive device (IED), according to Reuters.
The incident occurred along the road between the towns of Rann and Gamboru Ngala, an area plagued by a long-running Islamist insurgency. According to a confidential report from the International Safety Organization, which supports security operations for foreign NGOs in the region, the explosion also left three people injured.
No official statement has yet been released by Borno State police regarding the blast.
Both Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have carried out similar attacks over the past 15 years in their insurgency against Nigerian authorities. The use of IEDs to ambush both civilians and security personnel is a hallmark of their tactics.
Eyewitness Liman Tom, who was travelling the same route, said the vehicles were severely destroyed. He noted that military personnel and members of a civilian security group rushed to the scene to aid the wounded and transport them to hospital.
Among the victims was the mother of Abba Amma Muhammad, who was devastated upon finding her unrecognizable remains. “I cannot even recognize her remains,” he told Reuters, blaming Boko Haram for the tragedy.
