A devastating incident unfolded on Wednesday as a commercial vehicle traveling along the Baga-Kukawa Road in Borno State fell victim to an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) believed to have been planted by the ISWAP terrorist group.
Reports indicate that at least 16 individuals lost their lives in the blast, with an additional 20 sustaining injuries.
Zagazola Makama, a respected counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad region, received credible information about the incident.
While Makama initially reported 10 fatalities, reliable sources informed The PUNCH that the toll was no fewer than 16.
Lieutenant Colonel Ajemusu Jingina, the spokesman for the 7th Division, declined to comment on the tragedy, citing the jurisdiction of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, headquartered in Ndjamena, Chad Republic.
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Accounts from residents in borno shed light on the harrowing event. According to Bukar Wakil, a Baga resident, the IED was apparently intended to target military personnel.
However, tragically, a civilian vehicle crossed paths with the explosive device before any military convoy, resulting in the loss of around 16 lives and leaving approximately 20 others injured, primarily innocent bystanders.
Abdullahi Abubakar, a security expert based in Maiduguri, expressed alarm over the resurgence of sporadic attacks by ISWAP in the Lake Chad basin.
He urged vigilance and a multifaceted approach to address the escalating threat posed by the militant group.
He explained, “One, troops have claimed degrading Boko Haram to virtual non-existence; two, ISWAP, a rival of Boko Haram, have invaded the Chad basin, not only unleashing terror but attempting to crush Boko Haram in incessant battles for supremacy; and three, ISWAP wants to show the Nigerian military that they are very much around and are very much uncrushable.”
He remarked, “Until troops completely crush ISWAP, the terrorist group will never, in my view, allow Chad Basin to rest.
“This explains the sporadic attacks, especially in Northern Borno.”
