Tragedy struck in Mairari village, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, on Saturday as a bomb explosion claimed the lives of at least nine people and left several others wounded.
The blast, caused by an improvised explosive device allegedly planted by insurgents, went off around 11 a.m. at a local bus stop where passengers were waiting to board commercial vehicles.
Confirming the incident, Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, described the attack as devastating, noting that the victims were civilians simply trying to return to their daily lives.
“It is unfortunate that nine of my resilient constituents were killed by planted IEDs while waiting to board vehicles at a local bus stop in Mairari village,” Lawan said. “May Allah grant their souls Aljanatul Firdaus. I also pray for the quick recovery of those receiving treatment in Monguno and Maiduguri.”
He explained that Mairari was the only village in Guzamala LGA that had seen limited resettlement with civil authority, despite repeated insurgent attacks. However, Saturday’s blast has once again forced residents to flee.
“Many people who had sought refuge in Monguno, Maiduguri, and other parts of Guzamala still returned to Mairari periodically for farming,” the lawmaker said. “Unfortunately, terrorists had been tracking these movements and planted IEDs at the bus stop, which exploded while they were waiting to travel.”
He further extended condolences to the families of the deceased and called on security agencies to take urgent steps to restore peace to Guzamala, especially in Gudumbali—the local council headquarters—and other surrounding communities that remain under insurgent threat.
“These areas have lacked any semblance of civil authority for years,” Lawan said. “We need stronger military presence to reclaim these towns and ensure the safety of our people.”
The injured victims were reportedly rushed to hospitals in Monguno and Maiduguri for urgent medical attention.