IED planted by ‘Boko Haram’ kills 13 ‘farmers’ in Borno

The death toll from an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on the Pulka/Firgi road in Gwoza LGA of Borno state has increased to 13.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, seven persons died instantly in the early hours of Monday when the vehicle conveying some farmers ran over an explosive.

The publication quoted sources as saying seven passengers, including the driver were confirmed dead, while seven others were severely injured.

A few hours after the incident, Makama reported that six out of seven farmers who sustained severe injuries in the explosion had also died.

“The death toll in Pulka IED attack has risen to 13 as those wounded later died,” Makama said in a post on X.

The publication said the Islamic State for West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram insurgents have resorted to extreme measures to fight back against the crushing intrusion of their enclaves by the Nigerian military.

Makama added that the insurgents have heightened the use of IEDs as their major warfare tactic after they were either weakened or depleted by the troops.

Makama further said the IEDs, mostly locally made bombs, account for more than half of the fatalities, mostly women and children, recorded in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in the north-east.