Insecurity: 2 killed in fresh Boko Haram bomb attack in Borno

Two staff members of the Damboa Local Education Authority (LEA) were killed in a deadly bomb attack along the Damboa–Maiduguri highway on Monday, May 12, in what authorities suspect was a Boko Haram assault.

The victims, identified as Blessings Luka and Gideon Bitterleaf, were en route to Maiduguri aboard a Toyota Hiace bus when the vehicle triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

The bus, reportedly transporting mangoes to the Borno State capital, was caught in the explosion near the volatile region long plagued by insurgency.

Eyewitnesses at the scene confirmed that the victims were seated in the front of the bus when the blast occurred.

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“It was sudden. The front of the vehicle was ripped apart. The two occupants died instantly,” one source said.

Zagazola Makama, a noted counter-terrorism analyst, described the attack as another grim reminder of Boko Haram’s continued threat in northeastern Nigeria.

He said, “This incident reflects the persistent danger civilians face in conflict-affected corridors.”

A local government official from Damboa, speaking on the condition of anonymity, lamented the loss of the two workers.

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“They were hardworking, dedicated staff of the LEA. Their deaths are a huge blow to our education system,” the official said.

Security forces have since cordoned off the area and launched an investigation to track those responsible for planting the device.

The latest incident underscores the fragile security situation in Borno, despite repeated military offensives to dismantle terrorist networks in the region.