At least 30 people were killed and over 100 others injured in a series of coordinated suicide bombings in Gwoza, a town in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno state, on Saturday, June 29, 2024. The attacks targeted a wedding celebration, a hospital, and a funeral, local authorities reported, according to ABC News. The number of deaths has not been confirmed by other media sources.
The first explosion occurred at around 3 p.m. during a marriage celebration, according to Barkindo Saidu, the director of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, and was carried out by a female suicide bomber. The unidentified woman, accompanied by two children, infiltrated the wedding reception of a well-known young man in Gwoza; she set off her Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), resulting in her death and the deaths of many others.
Minutes later, another explosion took place near the General Hospital. The third attack was at a funeral service, where a suicide bomber disguised as a mourner detonated explosives. All three suicide bombers are suspected to be women. Among the victims were children and pregnant women.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Gwoza is located in Borno state, which has been heavily affected by the attacks from Boko Haram that began in 2009. The Islamist extremist group has a history of using women and girls in suicide bombings.
The violence in northeastern Nigeria has led to over 35,000 deaths and the displacement of more than 2.6 million people. The insurgency has also created a massive humanitarian crisis, with millions of people in need of urgent assistance. Boko Haram, which has a faction allied with the Islamic State group, aims to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria. The country, which is Africa’s most populous with about 170 million people, is divided almost equally between a predominantly Christian south and a mainly Muslim north.
The latest attacks highlight the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram and the challenges faced by the Nigerian government and security forces in addressing the ongoing violence in the region. Authorities have imposed a curfew in Gwoza, and the community remains on high alert following reports of another suspected bomber in Pulka, a town about one mile away.
“I heard a loud explosion and then chaos everywhere,” said Musa Abubakar, a resident who witnessed the attack at the wedding. “People were screaming and running. It was a horrible scene.”
The security situation in Borno state, particularly in areas like Gwoza, remains precarious. Gwoza is located not far from Chibok, where 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped in 2014. Nearly 100 of those girls are still in captivity. The abduction of students has become a common tactic for armed groups in Nigeria, with at least 1,500 students kidnapped across the country since then. These groups often use kidnappings to fund their activities and exert control over local communities.
Boko Haram has frequently deployed women and girls, some of whom may have been kidnapped, to carry out attacks. This tactic not only spreads terror but also challenges the security forces, who must now be vigilant against potential attackers who may not fit the typical profile of a militant.
In the aftermath of the bombings, emergency services are working to treat the injured and provide support to the affected families. The injuries range from abdominal ruptures to skull and limb fractures, according to Saidu. The Nigerian government has condemned the attacks and promised to take measures to improve security in the region.
The resurgence of suicide bombings in Borno state underscores the ongoing threat posed by Boko Haram and the need for continued efforts to combat the insurgency. Despite military operations that have reclaimed territory from the militants, Boko Haram continues to launch deadly attacks, causing widespread fear and instability.
Gwoza, which was once seized by Boko Haram in 2014 before being retaken by the Nigerian military with the help of Chadian forces in 2015, remains a target for the group. The town’s proximity to the Mandara Mountains, where Boko Haram fighters are known to hide, makes it particularly vulnerable to attacks.
