Tragedy struck again in Borno State on Wednesday as a deadly bomb explosion claimed the lives of four travellers and left ten others badly injured. The blast happened at Komala village along the busy Maiduguri to Damboa Road, a route notorious for deadly attacks.
The incident occurred around 3:30 in the afternoon when a Suzuki pick-up truck carrying passengers unknowingly ran over an improvised explosive device hidden on the road. The force of the explosion instantly killed four people and caused panic among other travellers.
The spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed the attack in a phone conversation with Kiin360. He said emergency responders and security agents quickly arrived at the scene and rushed the injured victims to the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri for urgent treatment.
“I confirm that the incident happened. Four persons died and ten sustained various degrees of injuries. They have been taken to the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri,” ASP Daso stated.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as horrifying. One traveller who narrowly escaped the blast told Kiin360 that the explosion brought traffic to a standstill. “We met serious gridlock before we were able to pass. People were crying, and the road was covered in smoke,” the passenger recounted.
This latest attack comes just under two months after a similar explosion killed eight people and injured eleven others along the same road. That earlier attack, which happened on April 12, involved a commercial Hummer bus that ran over a planted bomb at the same Komala village in Konduga local government area.
Security officials have blamed the continued attacks on suspected Boko Haram fighters who have made the Maiduguri to Damboa route a dangerous zone for civilians. Investigations are ongoing as security agencies work to uncover those behind the latest bombing.
Residents and travellers are now calling on the government to increase patrols and surveillance on the road to prevent more attacks. The fear of further blasts has left many road users in shock, forcing some to cancel their trips or seek alternative routes.
Authorities have again reminded the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious objects or movements to security personnel.
The incident highlights the continued threat of terrorism in parts of northeast Nigeria despite ongoing military operations aimed at flushing out insurgents from the region.
