At least 26 civilians, including children, were killed on Monday in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State when a truck struck an improvised explosive device (IED), underscoring a fresh wave of violence in a region long plagued by insurgency. The deadly explosion occurred near the border with Cameroon, an area frequently targeted by armed groups including Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Victims included 16 men, four women, and six children, a military officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. Three other passengers sustained serious injuries. “I too

At least 26 civilians, including children, were killed on Monday in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State when a truck struck an improvised explosive device (IED), underscoring a fresh wave of violence in a region long plagued by insurgency. The deadly explosion occurred near the border with Cameroon, an area frequently targeted by armed groups including Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Victims included 16 men, four women, and six children, a military officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. Three other passengers sustained serious injuries. “I took part in the funeral of the 26 people killed in the explosion; most of them were burned beyond recognition,” said Akram Saad, a resident of Rann, the nearby town from which the truck had likely originated. A row of dead bodies in white plastic bags laid on the floor at Rann’s general hospital's morgue was shown in a video. The International NGO Safety Organisation, which advises aid agencies on security in Nigeria, confirmed in an internal bulletin seen by Reuters that vehicles traveling between Rann and Gamboru Ngala had hit an IED. There has been no official statement from the Borno State police. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, some residents, including Abba Amma Muhammad—whose mother was among the victims—blamed Boko Haram. The bombing follows a surge in attacks across Nigeria’s troubled northeast. The conflict, now in its 15th year, has killed over 40,000 people and displaced millions, despite government claims that the insurgents have been largely defeated. On Monday, Boko Haram militants reportedly killed 10 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF)—a local vigilante group—in Adamawa State, AFP reported. Just days earlier, on Thursday, 14 farmers were killed in an attack in Borno’s Gwoza district, according to local officials. Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State warned on Friday that both Boko Haram and ISWAP were re-establishing strongholds in Lake Chad islands, the Sambisa Forest, and the Mandara mountains along the Cameroon border, citing “military setbacks” as a key factor enabling their resurgence. The government’s ongoing counter-insurgency efforts face increasing scrutiny, as fresh violence raises questions about the security situation in the region and the effectiveness of military operations.

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