Roadside explosion murders dozens in African country
(MENAFN) At least 26 people were killed in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State after two vehicles hit an improvised explosive device (IED) on Monday, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Reuters reported. The explosion took place along the road between Rann and Gamboru Ngala, in a region that has suffered over 15 years of insurgent violence from groups such as Boko Haram and its offshoots.
Eyewitness Liman Tom described the vehicles as heavily damaged, with survivors quickly taken to nearby hospitals by military personnel and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a local militia aiding in counterinsurgency efforts. A grieving relative of one of the victims told Reuters he was unable to identify his mother’s remains due to the severity of the blast.
The International Safety Organization, which advises foreign NGOs in the area, confirmed the incident, reporting 26 fatalities and three injuries. A military source, speaking to AFP anonymously, said the victims included 16 men, four women, and six children.
ISWAP was formed in 2016 after a schism within Boko Haram, largely due to ideological and strategic disagreements. The group’s leadership changed after Boko Haram’s former leader, Abubakar Shekau, was removed by Islamic State leadership for targeting Muslim civilians, paving the way for Abu Musab al-Barnawi to take charge and split the movement.
The bombing comes amid a wave of renewed violence in Nigeria’s northeast. Over the weekend, separate attacks in Borno and Adamawa states left at least 22 people dead. In one incident in Borno’s Gwoza region, ten civilians were killed while gathering firewood. In Adamawa’s Hong district, ten others died during a raid on the village of Kopre. Local police said security reinforcements had been dispatched to the affected communities.
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