A bomb suspected to have been planted by the roadside by suspected members of the Boko Haram which targeted a commuter bus exploded yesterday, killing seven passengers and left three others critically injured.
Security sources said the Boko Haram insurgents are increasingly changing their tactics and that the latest blast might have been remotely controlled.
Local authorities and witnesses said the blast took place near Kuthra village in Gwoza Local Government Area in southern part of Borno State where series of attacks were carried out in recent times.
Borno State Police Commissioner, Lawan Tanko, who confirmed the incident told newsmen that, “the incident happened when an 18-seater Toyota bus conveying passengers ran over an IED (Improvised Explosive Device).”
According to him, “the blast killed seven people and injured three others who are now receiving treatment.”
Another security source who does not want his name in print said, “This is the first known incident where a blast was directly targeted at civilian vehicle…we have had many incidences where vehicles belonging to security operatives and other symbol of authority were directly targeted with explosives
“I believe this particular incident is out of desperation by the terrorists because we are also changing our surveillance architecture towards containing them…as you know, they are only attacking soft targets these days,” he said.
The Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta, who also confirmed the incident, told Governor Kashim Shettima in Maiduguri, yesterday that blast occurred around 7am.
“I was advised by military officers to delay my trip to the state capital for two hours because the road was not safe,” he said.
“It was after they cordoned and searched the road thoroughly before commuters were allowed to proceed with their journeys,” he said.
Gwoza is 90kilometers away from Kawuri, the village where 85 people were killed and many others injured when gunmen attacked a weekly market last Sunday which also left over 200 houses in shreds.
Source: Daily Trust
