Tragic explosion in Borno claims lives of 6 pupils
An explosion caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Gubio local government area of Borno state has resulted in the fatal deaths of six pupils of a Quranic school, known as Almajirai in Hausa culture.
Chairman of Gubio Local Government Area, Hon Mali Gubio Mali, reported that the incident, which occurred on Saturday, January 27, 2023, claimed the lives of seven people, with two unidentified bodies suspected to be suicide bombers.
The devastating incident unfolded when a metal scavenger unknowingly gathered and stored various metallic objects in a building near a Tsangaya school.
Tragically, among the collected metal items was an abandoned undetonated IED, which exploded around 2 pm, causing fatal harm to the children and inflicting severe injuries.
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It’s important to note that metal scavenging had been prohibited in Borno State by Governor Babagana Zulum since July 2023 following reported cases of alleged vandalism of government facilities in abandoned communities.
While efforts to confirm the incident from security agencies were unsuccessful, a reliable security intelligence source shared pictures of the distressing aftermath of the deadly blast with our correspondent.
Expressing regret over the unfortunate incident, Hon Mali Gubio Mali, the Executive Chairman of Gubio local government area, conveyed his shock and stated, “The incident is very shocking and unfortunate, but we are working round the clock to ascertain what really led to these dastardly killings by IEDs in the area.” He also mentioned the ban on metal scavenging activities across the state by the Borno state Government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Zulum.
