At least 26 individuals lost their lives when a truck struck an improvised explosive device in Nigeria’s troubled northeast region.
The explosion on Monday resulted in casualties among men, women, and children in Borno State, close to the Cameroon border, as reported by military officials and local residents.
This area has suffered from violence for decades due to armed groups such as the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, with recent escalations in conflict.
A military officer, who requested anonymity, informed the AFP news agency that the fatalities included 16 men, four women, and six children, with three additional passengers sustaining serious injuries.
Borno State police did not provide an immediate response.
The International NGO Safety Organisation, which ensures security for foreign NGOs in northeast Nigeria, noted in an internal memo, which was reviewed by Reuters, that vehicles traveling between the towns of Rann and Gamboru Ngala encountered an IED.
Akram Saad, a resident of the nearby town of Rann, shared with AFP, ‘I attended the funeral for the 26 victims of the explosion; many were burned beyond recognition.’
