Defence Headquarters Describes Borno Bombings as Nigeria Receding into a State of War

The Defence Headquarters has described the recent bombings in Borno State as Nigeria receding into a state of war. 

This was revealed in a statement by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, on Tuesday, while detailing the gory incidents that led to the loss of lives in the Gworza Local Government Area of Borno State over the weekend.

According to Buba, the terror attacks comprised multiple Person-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (PBIED), otherwise known as suicide bombings, all of which took place on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

The first attack occurred at about 3:00 PM, when a female suicide bomber disguised as a beggar invaded a wedding reception on Mararaba Hausari Street and detonated an improvised explosive device.

“At about 5:00 PM, while efforts were underway to stabilize and move casualties of the initial explosion to the hospital for further treatment, a second explosion occurred from another female suicide bomber on the same street near the first explosion site,” Buba reported.

Troops immediately imposed a curfew on the community to get members indoors and prevent further casualties. However, a third explosion targeted the troops enforcing the curfew.

“The third explosion was carried out by a third lady strapped with an IED vest, resulting in the death of a soldier and two members of hybrid forces,” Buba said.

A fourth incident was averted when the suspect was identified early enough, causing her to detonate the bomb prematurely, resulting in her being the only casualty. Overall, 20 persons were killed, and 52 sustained various degrees of injuries and are receiving treatment.

Buba emphasized that the armed forces view every life lost due to the ongoing war as an immense tragedy. “The sad loss of lives is a tragedy for the society, community, and the nation,” he said.

“Given that we are in a state of war, it must be recognized that this despicable act is a response to recent successes in ongoing military operations. Our recent operations have decapitated the leadership of the terrorists, depleted their resources, reduced their support base, and reduced their influence,” Buba added.

He called on citizens to see through the terrorists’ tactics and recognize their desperation to attract attention, bolster relevancy, mobilize new recruits, and reduce support for the armed forces and government.

The military urged citizens to stand united, remain vigilant, and continue to support the armed forces’ efforts to ensure a secure and peaceful future.

“The fate of the terrorists that perpetrated this insecurity will be violent and short, as troops will stop at nothing to take them out of the battlefield,” Buba concluded.