Nine individuals are reported to have lost their lives following the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) allegedly planted at a public bus stop in Mairari village, located within Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to information obtained by PUNCH correspondents, the explosion occurred at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and resulted in multiple casualties, with several other individuals sustaining varying degrees of injury.
The Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, confirmed the incident in a statement to PUNCH Online on Sunday. He stated:
“It is with deep regret that I confirm the tragic loss of nine of my resilient constituents, who were killed by an improvised explosive device planted at a local bus stop in Mairari village while they awaited transport.”
“May Allah grant the deceased eternal rest in Aljanatul Firdaus,” the Speaker stated. “I also extend my prayers for the swift and complete recovery of those who have been evacuated to medical facilities in Monguno and Maiduguri for treatment in the aftermath of this tragic incident.”
The Speaker further elaborated on the context of the attack, noting:
“As you are aware, Mairari village — previously the only location within Guzamala Local Government Area to have been resettled on two occasions under civil authority — has once again been rendered uninhabited due to persistent assaults by Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents.”
He added that despite ongoing insecurity, many internally displaced persons (IDPs) residing in Monguno, Guzamala, and Maiduguri periodically return to Mairari to farm and sustain their livelihoods.
“Regrettably, insurgents who had been surveilling their movements strategically planted improvised explosive devices at the local bus stop. The device detonated while the victims were waiting to board commercial transport vehicles back to their respective locations,” he said.
In addition to expressing condolences to the families of those killed and injured, the Speaker issued an urgent appeal to the Nigerian Armed Forces and other relevant security agencies to intensify efforts aimed at restoring peace and civilian governance in Guzamala LGA—particularly in Gudumbali (the council headquarters), Mairari village, and surrounding areas which remain under insurgent control and lack formal civil administration.#newsafro_
