At least three female suicide bombers carried out a series of coordinated attacks on Saturday afternoon. The first bomber detonated an IED at a wedding celebration, killing many instantly. Minutes later, a second explosion occurred near the General Hospital. As people gathered for the funeral of the wedding victims, a third female bomber disguised as a mourner detonated her device. A fourth explosion, set off by a female teenager at the hospital while officials coordinated rescue efforts, has also been reported.
29 Jun 2024 · Gwoza, Gwoza, Borno
Deaths
32
Injured
100
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
132
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attacks as “desperate acts of terror”. Police confirmed the arrest of two female suicide bombers
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Targeting joyful and somber gatherings (weddings and funerals) maximizes terror and sectarian tensions.
Trajectory
The coordinated nature of the assault demonstrated a level of planning and intelligence that suggests a deliberate escalation in the insurgency's campaign.
Cycle notes
Mirrored earlier coordinated attacks including 10 January 2015 – Maiduguri market bombings involving multiple coordinated explosions in crowded civilian areas, 11 March 2015 – dual suicide attacks targeting public gathering points in Borno State, 16 June 2016 – coordinated suicide bombings at IDP camps and checkpoints in the northeast, 18 November 2018 – Konduga series of attacks involving staggered detonations in civilian spaces, and 28 November 2020 – multiple suicide bombings in Maiduguri targeting markets and funerals, collectively reflecting a recurring pattern in which Boko Haram deploys coordinated, multi-stage suicide operations—often using female and adolescent bombers—to deliberately target emotionally dense civilian gatherings such as weddings, funerals, and hospitals, thereby maximizing casualties, disrupting emergency response, and amplifying psychological and social trauma across affected communities in northeastern Nigeria.
Pattern
Female suicide bombers deployment
Related — Bombing/IED
Three female suicide bombers, with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) strapped to their bodies, were spotted by a patrol team. The team opened fire on them, resulting in the detonation of two of the IEDs, which killed all three bombers instantly. The unexploded IED on the third bomber was later neutralized by a police bomb disposal unit.
Two female suicide bombers carried out coordinated attacks in the Mashamari community of Borno State, according to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Chief Security Officer, Bello Danbatta. The first attacker detonated an explosive device near a mosque as residents were preparing for evening prayers. Moments later, the second bomber detonated inside a nearby residential house. The attacks left three people dead and seven others injured.
Four female teenage suicide bombers infiltrated Muna Zawuya village. According to police, the bombers detonated explosives strapped to their bodies, killing themselves and one other person (a woman), while injuring 13 others