Many feared dead as bomb blast hits bus stop in Borno

From Muhammad Maitela, Damaturu

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted at a local bus stop in Mairari village, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, detonated on Sunday, killing many passengers and injuring others.

The incident occurred around 11a.m., according to reports gathered by our correspondent. Witnesses said the victims were mostly passengers waiting to board vehicles when the explosion happened.

The Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, confirmed the attack, expressing grief over the loss of lives.

“It is unfortunate that many of my resilient constituents were killed by planted IEDs while waiting to board vehicles at a local bus stop in Mairari village,” Lawan said.

He added, “May Allah grant their souls Aljanatul Firdaus. I also pray for the swift recovery of those evacuated to hospitals in Monguno and Maiduguri for treatment.”

The lawmaker explained that Mairari village, previously one of the few resettled communities in Guzamala LGA, had been deserted again due to persistent Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks.

“As resilient people, many residents taking refuge in Monguno, Guzamala, and Maiduguri often return to Mairari to farm. Unfortunately, terrorists monitoring their movements planted IEDs at the bus stop, which exploded as they waited for transport,” he narrated.

Lawan extended condolences to the families of the deceased and the injured. He also appealed to the military and security agencies to restore safety in Guzamala, particularly in Gudumbali (the council headquarters), Mairari village, and surrounding areas, which have remained under Boko Haram control for years without civil authority.