In a watershed moment for the insurgency, a suicide bomber drove a Mercedes-Benz laden with explosives into the parking lot of the Force Headquarters (Louis Edet House) in Abuja. The bomber attempted to trail the convoy of the then-Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, into the secure premises. When intercepted by security in the car park, the device was detonated. This was the first documented suicide car bombing in Nigeria's history.
16 Jun 2011 · Garki, AMAC, FCT
Deaths
2
Injured
7
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
9
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
Police confirmed recovery of bomber’s body; investigation commenced. Nigerian Red Cross treated injured. Police reported 33 cars destroyed, 40 partially damaged. Building itself not affected.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Religious extremism, insurgency tactics, symbolic targeting of state institutions
Trajectory
Incident marked Boko Haram’s first suicide car bombing in Nigeria; targeting of Police HQ demonstrated boldness and intent to directly challenge state authority
Cycle notes
The 16 June 2011 attack was unprecedented in Nigeria’s history—the first successful suicide car bombing. It established a new and deadly template for Boko Haram, which would be repeated with increasing frequency and lethality over the next decade. The government‘s initial downplaying of casualties and its conflicting reports on the bomber’s nationality mirrored patterns of official obfuscation seen after previous sectarian attacks, such as the 2001 Jos riots.
Pattern
Suicide car bombing
Related — Bombing/IED
A female suicide bomber detonated explosives near a stadium car park minutes after President Goodluck Jonathan concluded an election campaign rally. The bomber set a car ablaze and was killed in the explosion. A female passerby was also killed, and 18 others were wounded. The attack occurred amid heightened security measures following two suicide bombings in Gombe the previous day.
A massive explosion rocked a house in the Shehuri II area, Bolori ward, on the outskirts of Maiduguri. The blast occurred while suspected Boko Haram members were assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Three unidentified sect members were killed instantly, their bodies mutilated by the force of the explosion. The incident destroyed the building and damaged several neighbouring houses.
Hours after the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan, three coordinated bombs detonated at the Shadawanka Military Barracks in Bauchi. The explosions specifically targeted a "mammy market" (a civilian-accessible commercial area inside the barracks) and a beer garden where soldiers and civilians were socializing. This was a high-yield attack designed to strike at the morale of the military during a transition of power.