IED blast kills nine in Nigeria’s Borno

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Nigerian Security Forces patrol outside Ngarannam in Ngarannam, Borno State, Nigeria October 21, 2022. REUTERS/Christophe Van Der Perr

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria  -  At least nine people were killed in a blast at a bus park in northeastern Nigeria, blamed on a bomb planted by suspected militants who have stepped up attacks in Borno state, a local lawmaker and residents said.

Borno has been the heartland of an Islamist insurgency for the past 16 years, which has killed thousands of Nigerians and driven tens of thousands from their homes.

Villagers from Mairari village in Borno's Guzamala district were waiting for transport when a bomb detonated on Saturday, killing at least nine people, said Abdulkarim Lawan, the lawmaker for the area.

Lawan, who is also speaker of Borno state assembly, said Mairari village was now largely deserted due to frequent attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, who are also increasingly using improvised explosives.

"Terrorists who have been monitoring their movements planted IEDs at the local bus stop, which exploded while they were waiting to board commercial vehicles back to their destinations," he said.

Borno state police spokesperson Nahum Kenneth Daso confirmed the incident but said he had no details.

Bunu Bukar, a petty trader at the bus rank said on Monday the IED was tripped when passengers were boarding a mini bus, killing the nine instantly and injuring several others.

Nigeria has witnessed a rise in insurgent attacks since January, with militants targeting civilians and military bases.

 (Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri and Camillus Eboh in AbujaWriting by MacDonald DzirutweEditing by Peter Graff)