At least 24 people were confirmed dead and several others injured following a deadly suicide bombing at a crowded food joint in Konduga town, about 36 kilometers from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Around 10:00 p.m. on Friday night, a female suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at the busy eatery, resulting in the immediate death of several people.
According to eyewitnesses, the bomber walked into the food spot before triggering the device. The explosion was powerful, leaving the attacker dismembered, with only her head recovered at the scene.
Both men and women were among the 24 casualties, security officials confirmed. Several others sustained varying degrees of injuries and were quickly evacuated to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) for treatment. The bodies of the deceased were deposited at the hospital’s morgue.
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A swift response by a combined team of security personnel—including the military, police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) teams, Tactical Units, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local hunters—ensured the area was secured and searched. No additional explosives were found.
Authorities said the motive for the attack remains unknown, though it bears similarities to past attacks linked to insurgent groups operating in Nigeria’s troubled Northeast.
Profiling of the victims is ongoing, and arrangements are being made to release the bodies to their families for burial according to religious customs.