An improvised explosive device (IED) suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists detonated under a commercial Hummer bus traveling along the Maiduguri-Damboa road in Borno State. The explosion occurred at Komala village (also known as Gidan Kaji/Poultry House area) in Konduga Local Government Area, approximately 30km from Damboa town. The bus was part of a military-escorted convoy comprising trucks, lorries, private cars, and commercial vehicles moving from Damboa to Maiduguri. The blast killed eight passengers, including the driver, and injured 11 others. The injured victims were evacuated to the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri for treatment.
12 Apr 2025 · Komala, Konduga, Borno
Deaths
8
Injured
11
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
19
Perpetrators
Boko Haram/ISWAP
Response
Police and military conducted a joint clearance operation at the scene. The Divisional Police Officers of Damboa and Konduga were placed on high vigilance, and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit sensitised motorists while clearance operations continued . Governor Zulum visited the injured and ordered free medical treatment.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
The use of IEDs along major roads is a deliberate strategy to disrupt civilian movement, target economic activity, and maintain a climate of fear in the region. The Maiduguri-Damboa road traverses the Sambisa Forest area, serving as a link between many local government areas of southern Borno.
Trajectory
The 12 April IED attack was the third deadly explosion in Borno within a month. On March 21, an IED blast in Biu LGA killed four passengers and injured four others . On April 28, another IED attack on the Kala-Balge road killed 26 travellers . Civilian travel on the Damboa-Maiduguri road is restricted to only two days per week and requires heavily armed military escorts due to repeated attacks . Despite a heavy security presence equipped with an anti-bomb squad unit, terrorists continue to plant IEDs and launch ambushes on this corridor.
Cycle notes
This attack echoes the long-standing pattern of IED attacks on civilian vehicles in Borno State, which have been a hallmark of the insurgency since its early days. The Maiduguri-Damboa road is one of the notorious highways that traverse the Sambisa Forest area, a known insurgent enclave. Similar attacks have been documented throughout 2024 and early 2025 on major roads, including the Maiduguri-Damboa, Maiduguri-Bama, and Maiduguri-Monguno axes. The attack also reflects Governor Zulum's warning that the state was "losing ground" to insurgents following the dislodgment of military formations in Wulgo, Sabon Gari, Wajirko, Izge, and other places.
Pattern
IED Explosion
Related — Bombing/IED
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