Nine Feared Dead, Several Injured As Bomb Explodes At Borno Bus

At least nine people have been killed and several others injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated at a bus stop in Mairari village, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

The explosion occurred around 11 a.m. on Saturday, targeting residents who were waiting to board vehicles. Borno State House of Assembly Speaker Abdulkarim Lawan confirmed the attack on Sunday, calling it “unfortunate” and expressing concern over continued violence in the region.

The number of casualties may rise as authorities assess the full impact of the blast. No group has claimed responsibility yet, but the area has previously seen attacks linked to extremist insurgents. Security agencies are investigating the incident.

“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 was quoted as saying. “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 following the incident.”

According to Speaker Abdulkarim Lawan, the victims of the Mairari village bombing were mostly returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had returned home to resume farming activities. The village, once resettled with civil authority, has again been abandoned following renewed attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Lawan stated that insurgents had been tracking the villagers’ movements and deliberately planted the IEDs at the bus stop. The explosives detonated as people gathered to board commercial vehicles en route to Monguno, Guzamala, and Maiduguri—locations where they had found temporary refuge.

He expressed condolences to the victims’ families and urged the Nigerian military to intensify operations to reclaim Guzamala, particularly Mairari and Gudumbali, both of which remain under the control of Boko Haram with no functioning civil administration.

Meanwhile, Borno State Police Command spokesperson Nahum Daso acknowledged the incident but said full details were still being gathered, promising further updates as investigations progress.