A hidden explosive device detonated in Mafa LGA, Borno State, injuring five children and severing one boy’s hand on Thursday afternoon.
According to a report shared by security analyst Zagazola Makama, the incident took place around 14:25 hours near an under-construction mosque.
The children had unknowingly disturbed the IEDs, which were concealed within blocks by a culvert.
The victims—four boys and one girl—include Abdullahi Umar, Musa Mele, Fatima Abatcha, Abba Kawu Muhammed, and Khalid Alhaji Bukar. All hail from Mafa town.
A joint response team from the EOD-CBRN Unit, Mafa Police Division, and Civilian JTF secured the location, cleared potential secondary threats, and detonated other makeshift bomb components found at the scene.
Medical personnel referred four of the injured children to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, while one with minor wounds was released after treatment at a local hospital.
Officials have since launched community outreach programs to educate locals, especially children, on the dangers of explosive devices.