Update: Car explosion kills five, injures many in Maiduguri

An Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) cancelled in a commercial Volkswagen Golf car has exploded at Muna Garage Junction in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, killing 5 people including the occupant/driver and some passerby.


The incident according to an eye witness who did not want his name mentioned in print said, “dozens of people suspected to be passerby were seriously wounded in the blasts, expressing fear that the death toll may rise”.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Borno State Command, Emmanuel Isuku confirmed the blast in a statement, insisting that all the five occupants of the vehicle were killed. Our correspondent gathered that the ill-fated Golf car was heading towards Maiduguri-Dikwa-Gamboru Ngala road at about 9am on Wednesday with cancelled IEDs before it exploded at the outskirt of Maiduguri Metropolis.

This explosion is coming barely 24 hours when some suspected members of dreaded Boko Hharam sect invaded Kwashebe village, the same outskirt with Muna Garage in the metropolis, killing 5 residents and injured many before looting foodstuff and livestocks.

Sources said, officials of Police Anti bomb Squad, men of the Civilian JTF and other humanitarian agencies like National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and Borno State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA were quickly mobilized to the scene to evacuate both the charred bodies of the dead and the injured ones to the hospital.

Confirming the incident, Isuku said, “At about 0830 date, there was an IED explosion onboard a Golf 1 motor vehicle with reg. No JERE 349 XA, body S/No RTEAN 7179 taxi colour carry 5passengers (4 females and a male driver), by Muna along maiduguri /Gamboru Ngala road. The explosion occurred when the taxi was attempting to join the convoy of other vehicles heading to Gamboru town. “The suicide bomber who is reasonably believed to be one of the female casualties, was picked along the road," he stated.