At about 6:00 a.m., two bombs exploded at a wedding ceremony in the remote village of Tashan Alade, Hawul Local Government Area, Borno State. The first blast occurred as families and friends of the bride and groom were gathering; a second explosion detonated minutes later as people rushed to rescue victims from the first blast. Witnesses reported that a female suicide bomber was involved, although security sources also noted that the bombs may have been planted and triggered remotely. A suspect was arrested in connection with the incident
29 May 2015 · Tashan Alade, Hawul, Borno
Deaths
7
Injured
30
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
37
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
A suspect was arrested and handed over to the police for interrogation. Security forces launched an investigation. The wedding ceremony was taking place on the same day that President Muhammadu Buhari, in his inaugural speech, vowed to subdue Boko Haram.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Religious extremism, insurgency tactics, weak security infrastructure, socioeconomic marginalization
Trajectory
The attack demonstrated Boko Haram’s continued ability to strike soft civilian targets despite losing territorial control. The use of a female suicide bomber and remotely planted explosives indicated tactical flexibility. The attack was part of a wave of violence that included a suicide bombing at a mosque in Maiduguri the following day, which killed 26 people
Cycle notes
This incident followed a pattern of Boko Haram attacks on wedding ceremonies. A previous wedding attack in Tashan Alade had killed four people the year before. The use of twin explosions—a primary blast followed by a secondary device aimed at first responders—was a tactic Boko Haram had employed in previous attacks, such as the Jos bombings of May 2014 and the Nyanya bus station bombings of April–May 2014.
Pattern
Twin bomb explosion
Related — Bombing/IED
A female suicide bomber stormed a mosque in Dikwa during early morning prayers. She detonated explosives strapped to her body among worshippers. The blast killed five people and wounded three others . Following the attack, soldiers in the town intercepted another female bomber who blew herself up when asked to stop for a search; no one was harmed in that second blast. The local market was shut as security forces and vigilantes searched for two other suspected female bombers
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.
A police anti-bomb squad officer was killed while attempting to defuse an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the Unguwan Sarki district of Kaduna. The device had been discovered hidden in a bag near a local residential area. As the officer initiated the disposal protocol, the device detonated prematurely.