At least 18 people were killed and 30 others injured in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state after a series of attacks by suspected female suicide bombers over the weekend. Barkindo Saidu, director general of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, reported that the suspected suicide bombers separately attacked a wedding, funeral, and hospital in the town of Gwoza, resulting in multiple casualties.
Saidu confirmed that the 18 fatalities included children, adults, and pregnant women. The injuries sustained ranged from abdominal ruptures to skull and limb fractures. This tragic event highlights the ongoing violence in Borno, which has been at the center of a 15-year Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and displaced millions.
Despite efforts by the Nigerian military to degrade the capabilities of the militants, deadly attacks against civilians and security targets persist. Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), remain the most active militant groups in Borno, continuing to wreak havoc across the rural hinterland.