19 Killed, Several Others Injured In Borno Bomb Blast

Nineteen people were said to have been killed, while several others were injured when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), suspected to be planted by Boko Haram insurgents exploded at a local joint in Kawuri community, Konduga Local government area of Borno State.

The incident occurs barely a few hours before the commencement of the nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance.

It could be recalled that Boko Haram insurgents have recently resorted the suicide and bomb attacks on many targets with suicide attacks in Gwoza, Gujba and Geudam local government areas of Borno and Yobe states.

A resident of Kawuri, Bulama Abor who spoke to our correspondent on the phone said the bomb went off around 8:05 pm at a local tea joint where the villagers gathered for a night chat.

“Nobody can say exactly how it happened, but we suspected that the bomb was planted, not a suicide attack. We saw the corpses of 19 people with an unspecified number of civilians injured. The injured were evacuated to an undisclosed hospital in Maiduguri for treatment,” Bulama said.

Confirming the incident, the Borno state police Command spokesman, ASP, Nahum Daso in a press statement on Thursday said “In view of the constitutional mandate of the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security and law enforcement agencies toward preservation of law and order in the state.

“You are all aware of the incident that took place at Kawori which was the detonation of improvised explosive devices ordinance device which led to the death of (16) persons while several others were critically injured and on admission across various Government hospitals in the state.”

“In line with our constitutional mandate towards the restoration of law and order his Excellency the Executive Governor of Borno State Prof. Babagana Umar Zulum in consultation with heads of security in the state, finds it’s expedient to declare 24hrs curfew in the state with immediate effect,” the police added.