Boko haram strikes again: Killed in roadside bombing

DDM News

Two individuals have lost their lives in a suspected Boko Haram bomb attack along the Damboa–Maiduguri highway in Borno State.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that the victims, Blessings Luka and Gideon Bitterleaf, were employees of the Damboa Local Education Authority (LEA).

They were reportedly traveling from Damboa to Maiduguri when their vehicle hit an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), believed to have been planted by Boko Haram insurgents.

The explosion occurred on Tuesday morning as the victims rode in the front seat of a Toyota Hiace bus transporting mangoes to the state capital.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-terrorism expert monitoring developments in the region, the IED detonated as the vehicle passed over it, killing both individuals instantly.

Eyewitnesses stated that the explosion destroyed the front part of the vehicle and caused panic among other travelers along the highway.

The bomb, suspected to have been buried overnight, appears to have been intended to target either military convoys or unsuspecting civilian commuters.

A local government official from Damboa, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the identities of the victims and described them as hardworking education officers who had dedicated their lives to community development.

Security agencies responded swiftly, cordoning off the scene and initiating a thorough investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible.

The Damboa-Maiduguri highway has long been a notorious route, frequently targeted by insurgents using ambushes, IEDs, and gun attacks.

This incident adds to a long list of tragedies linked to the Boko Haram insurgency, which has plagued Nigeria’s Northeast since 2009.

The Islamist group has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions, and devastated public infrastructure, especially in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.

Despite repeated military operations, sporadic attacks such as this continue to disrupt life in the region and endanger civilians.

Both Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a breakaway faction, have relied on the use of IEDs to target civilians and military assets.

No group has claimed responsibility for the latest explosion, but authorities suspect it is the handiwork of one of the terror factions active in the area.

Security experts have renewed calls for the government to intensify surveillance, increase military patrols, and deploy advanced bomb detection technology along vulnerable highways.

Travelers were urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to nearby security posts to help prevent further loss of life.

The remains of the deceased have been transported back to Damboa for burial, as family members and colleagues mourn their sudden and tragic passing.

The attack underscores the persistent insecurity in Nigeria’s Northeast and the need for urgent and sustained intervention to protect lives and restore normalcy.

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