KONDUGA, BORNO STATE — Tragedy struck late Friday night when a female suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at a crowded food joint in Konduga town, killing at least 24 people and injuring several others.
The explosion occurred around 10:00 p.m. in the town, located approximately 36 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Eyewitnesses said the attacker blended in with customers at the popular local eatery before triggering the device. The blast instantly claimed numerous lives, with both men and women among the casualties.
Emergency responders and police confirmed that many of the wounded sustained varying degrees of injuries. The bomber’s body was blown apart by the explosion, with only her head reportedly recovered at the scene.
A swift response followed from a joint team of security forces, including military personnel, police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) teams, Tactical Units, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local hunters. The area was immediately cordoned off and thoroughly searched. No additional explosives were discovered.
The injured victims were transported to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) for medical attention, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to the hospital’s morgue. Medical personnel at UMTH confirmed the death toll and said profiling of victims is ongoing.
Authorities have begun arrangements to release the bodies to families for burial in line with religious traditions.
Although the motive behind the attack remains unclear, similar incidents in the region have been attributed to insurgent groups operating in Nigeria’s North-East. Investigations are ongoing.
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