TERRORISTS have planted at least seven bombs on a rural road in Niger State, killing 12 people and injuring 13 others in a span of just three months.
The latest incident occurred on Saturday when two explosives were discovered along the Bassa-Erena road near Kasmani village.
Fortunately, no casualties were recorded, but residents remain on edge as one of the explosives remains undetonated.
Locals spotted the explosives, and vigilantes were notified. “A man was riding his motorcycle to Erena when he noticed a bumpier section of the road,” a local resident recounted.
“He parked his bike, approached the area, and realized it might be an IED. He then informed the vigilantes in Bassa.”
The vigilantes discovered two explosives on the same road, but were only able to remove one.
“We set fire to the other one, hoping it would explode, but it’s still there,” a vigilante explained. The road has been blocked as a safety precaution.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of violence in the region.
Between February and December 2024, there were at least six explosive-related attacks, resulting in the deaths of 10 civilians and two military personnel, and injuring 13 people, including nine soldiers.
Boko Haram’s presence in Niger State is well-documented. The group has been known to operate in the Allawa forest reserve, linking villages like Bassa, Kukkoki, and Gyramiya.
In 2021, the former governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, warned that Boko Haram had hoisted their flag in Kaure, a village in Shiroro LGA.
The Niger State government has yet to comment on the recent attacks.