AT least nine people have reportedly lost their lives after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated at a local bus stop in Mairari village, located in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to reports, the explosion occurred around 11 a.m. yesterday, injuring several others.
The Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, confirmed the incident today, stating that the victims were waiting to board vehicles when the device went off.
“It is a tragic loss. Nine of my constituents were killed by an IED planted at a bus stop in Mairari,” Lawan said.
“May Allah grant them Aljanatul Firdaus. I also pray for the speedy recovery of those receiving treatment in Monguno and Maiduguri.”
Lawan explained that although Mairari was previously resettled with civil governance, it has once again been abandoned due to ongoing attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents.
Many residents who now live in Monguno, Guzamala, and Maiduguri frequently return to the village to farm.
He alleged that the attackers, having monitored the villagers’ movements, planted explosives at the bus stop, which detonated as people were preparing to leave.
The Speaker extended his sympathies to the families of the victims and the injured.
He also urged the military and security forces to reestablish security in Guzamala, particularly in Gudumbali—the council headquarters—and surrounding areas still under insurgent control.