A suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at a crowded fish market in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State on Friday night, killing at least 10 civilians and injuring seven others in the latest terrorist attack to hit Nigeria’s northeastern region.
The bomber infiltrated the bustling market by disguising himself as an ordinary civilian before triggering the deadly explosion that also claimed his own life. The attack occurred during peak evening hours when the market was filled with traders and customers conducting business.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama confirmed the incident in a social media post, providing details about the casualties and emergency response. “The suicide bomber also died in the blast,” Makama wrote, adding that “the Nigerian Army troops and emergency response teams were immediately deployed to the scene, and the injured victims were evacuated to a nearby medical facility for treatment.”
Military personnel and emergency responders quickly secured the area following the explosion, establishing a security cordon to prevent potential follow-up attacks. The injured victims received immediate medical attention at nearby healthcare facilities, though their current conditions remain unknown.
Security forces have heightened vigilance in the area, with personnel maintaining a protective perimeter around the blast site to guard against additional suspected bombers who might attempt to exploit the chaos. The swift deployment of army troops demonstrates the ongoing security challenges faced by communities in Borno State, which remains a primary theater of Boko Haram operations.
The Konduga attack represents the latest in a series of violent incidents plaguing Nigeria’s security landscape. In a separate but equally devastating development, at least 15 people have been killed in renewed violence in Plateau State’s Bokkos and Mangu local government areas.
The Plateau State violence erupted on Thursday night across two communities, with gunmen launching coordinated attacks in the Manja community of Chakfem kingdom in Mangu and the Tangur community in Bokkos. The assailants struck at different times, with the Tangur attack occurring around 9 PM when residents were preparing for sleep, while the Chakfem assault happened earlier in the evening.
Local sources confirmed that seven people died in the Mangu attack while eight fatalities were recorded in Bokkos. The gunmen reportedly operated freely during their assaults, firing indiscriminately at civilians and breaking into residential homes before disappearing into the night.
According to witness accounts, the attackers entered communities and began shooting randomly while simultaneously conducting house-to-house raids. The coordinated nature of the attacks and the gunmen’s ability to operate for extended periods before withdrawing suggests a level of planning and local knowledge that has become characteristic of such violence in the region.
These twin incidents highlight the persistent security challenges facing Nigeria across multiple states, with terrorist groups like Boko Haram continuing to target civilian populations in the northeast while communal violence and armed banditry plague the Middle Belt region.
The frequency of such attacks underscores the ongoing difficulties faced by Nigerian security forces in protecting civilian populations across the country’s vast territory. Both Borno and Plateau states have experienced recurring violence that has displaced thousands of residents and disrupted economic activities in affected communities.
The market bombing in Konduga particularly demonstrates Boko Haram’s continued ability to penetrate civilian areas and execute deadly attacks despite ongoing military operations against the terrorist group. The choice to target a fish market reflects the group’s strategy of attacking soft civilian targets to maximize psychological impact and economic disruption.
