Two Nigerian farmers tragically lost their lives in a bomb explosion along the Maiduguri-Monguno Road in Borno State on Sunday morning. The incident, which occurred around 9:10 am at Mile 40, was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted on the road according to Sahara Reporters.
This marks yet another deadly episode in the region’s ongoing struggle against insurgency.
According to local reports, the farmers inadvertently stepped on the hidden IED while traversing the road, leading to their untimely deaths. The tragic event has further underscored the persistent danger posed by terrorist groups operating in the area.
A security analyst and counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, highlighted the significance of this incident in a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account. He noted that the use of IEDs by the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) reflects their diminished capacity. “The use of IEDs is often a tactic of desperation, employed by ISWAP, because they lack the manpower or firepower to achieve their objectives through conventional means,” Makama explained.
He elaborated that ISWAP’s current strategy involves using such explosive devices to compensate for their weakened state. “Unlike in the past when they could attack military bases and towns, they are now only adopting defensive strategies to stop troop incursions into their enclaves,” Makama added, pointing to the group’s shift from offensive operations to defensive maneuvers.
Borno State has been a focal point of Nigeria’s battle against insurgency for over a decade, with residents frequently caught in the crossfire of violent clashes between the military and extremist groups. The recent bombing serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by ISWAP and the challenges faced by civilians in the region.