At least nine people have been confirmed dead following the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) planted at a local bus stop in Mairari village, located in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.
The tragic incident occurred around 11 a.m. on Saturday and left several others injured.
Confirming the attack to PUNCH Online on Sunday, the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, said the victims were passengers waiting to board commercial vehicles when the explosion took place.
“It is heartbreaking that nine of my resilient constituents were killed by an IED while waiting at the bus stop in Mairari village,” Lawan said. “May Allah grant their souls Aljanatul Firdaus, and I pray for the speedy recovery of those currently receiving treatment in Monguno and Maiduguri.”
He further explained that Mairari village, once the only resettled community with civil authority in Guzamala LGA, has once again been abandoned due to ongoing Boko Haram/ISWAP attacks.
“Many displaced residents who currently reside in Monguno, Guzamala, and Maiduguri often return to Mairari to farm. Unfortunately, terrorists monitoring their movements planted IEDs at the bus stop, which detonated as people were preparing to return to their host communities,” he said.
Lawan extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and those injured. He also called on the military and relevant security agencies to intensify efforts to restore safety in Guzamala, especially in Gudumbali—the council headquarters—Mairari, and surrounding communities that have remained under Boko Haram control and without civil governance for years.
