Borno bomb explosion kills four travellers and injures 10 others on Maiduguri-Damboa Road as Isuzu pick-up hits IED in Komala village

A deadly Borno bomb explosion kills four travellers and leaves 10 others critically injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated beneath an Isuzu pick-up vehicle in Komala village along the troubled Maiduguri-Damboa Road.

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The incident, which occurred around 3:30pm on Wednesday, is the latest in a series of deadly attacks targeting commuters in the insurgency-prone region of Borno State.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, said the victims with injuries were quickly transported to the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri where they are receiving urgent medical care.

“I confirmed that the incident happened. Four persons died and 10 sustained various degrees of injuries and they have been taken to the state specialist hospital in Maiduguri,” Daso said.

He further revealed that the explosion occurred when the vehicle drove over an IED planted by yet-to-be-identified assailants.

The blast site, Komala village, lies along a corridor long plagued by insurgent activities, often attributed to remnants of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters.

Travellers on the route experienced significant delays following the explosion, with eyewitnesses reporting hours of gridlock as security personnel worked to secure the scene and evacuate the injured.

“We met serious gridlock before we were able to pass,” a shaken passenger told The PUNCH.

This is not the first time the Maiduguri-Damboa axis has been struck by such violence. On April 12, 2025, a similar attack claimed eight lives and left 11 others injured when a bus ran over an IED.

The frequency of these attacks has raised alarm among residents and commuters, with many calling on authorities to intensify security patrols and clearance operations in the area.

The Maiduguri-Damboa Road remains a vital yet perilous route linking several communities in southern Borno.

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Wednesday’s explosion underscores the ongoing threat of landmines and roadside bombs in the region, as insurgents continue to target soft civilian movement despite intensified military operations.