June 30, 2024
At least 18 people were killed and dozens injured in a series of coordinated suicide bombings that targeted a wedding, a hospital, and a funeral service in the northeastern Nigerian town of Gwoza on Saturday.
According to reports from various sources, including local authorities and news agencies,
The first explosion occurred during a wedding ceremony at around 3:00 PM local time. The bride or groom was not harmed in the blast, but at least eight people were killed and several others injured.
Minutes later, another blast occurred near General Hospital in Gwoza. No further details about the casualties from this attack have been reported.
The third explosion took place at a funeral service for one of the victims of the wedding blast. Children and pregnant women were among those killed in this attack.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group with a history of using female suicide bombers, is suspected to be behind them.
Gwoza is located in Borno state, which has been heavily impacted by an insurgency launched in 2009 by Boko Haram. The violence has killed over 35,000 people and displaced over 2.6 million, creating a massive humanitarian crisis.
Boko Haram wants to install an Islamic state in Nigeria and has used women and girls in suicide bombings to further its cause. The resurgence of suicide bombings in Borno raises significant concerns about the security situation in the region.
The Nigerian military has degraded the capabilities of Boko Haram, but they still carry out deadly attacks against civilians and security targets. In 2019, at least 30 people were killed in a triple suicide attack in the region.
Borno State Emergency Management Agency director-general Barkindo Saidu said that the degree of injuries ranged from abdominal ruptures to skull and limb fractures. He also noted that authorities imposed a curfew in the city and were coordinating for a chopper to transport injured people to Maiduguri for treatment.
The attacks occurred just days before Nigeria marks 10 years since the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, which is located nearby. Nearly 1,500 students have been kidnapped across the country as armed groups increasingly find the practice a lucrative way to fund their criminal activities and take control of villages.
The conflict has spread to neighboring Niger, Cameroon, and Chad, prompting the formation of a regional military coalition to fight the armed groups.
Sources: CBS News, Al Jazeera, CNN, The New York Times
