At least 18 people were killed and dozens injured in a series of blasts by suspected female suicide bombers targeting a wedding, hospital, and funeral in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State. Multiple attacks occurred in the town of Gwoza, near the border with Cameroon. One of the attacks involved a woman carrying a baby detonating an improvised explosive device at a motor park. The suicide bombers also targeted a hospital in the same town, followed by an attack at the funeral for victims of the wedding blast, resulting in the deaths of children, men, females, and pregnant women.
Reports indicated that 19 seriously injured individuals were taken to the regional capital of Maiduguri, with 23 others awaiting evacuation. A militia member assisting the military stated that two of their colleagues and a soldier were killed in a separate attack on a security post, although authorities had not confirmed these deaths at the time. Despite the attacks, no group had claimed responsibility. Borno has been heavily affected by violence for the past 15 years, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. While the Nigerian military has weakened the capabilities of armed groups, they continue to carry out deadly attacks against civilians and security targets.
In 2019, 30 people were killed in a triple suicide attack in the region, marking the deadliest mass killing by suicide bombers that year. Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), are the most active armed groups in Borno. These groups have frequently deployed young women and girls to carry out suicide attacks in the region. Gwoza was seized by Boko Haram in 2014, but the Nigerian military, with assistance from Chadian forces, recaptured the town in 2015. Despite this, the group continues to launch attacks from the nearby mountains.
The violence in Nigeria’s northeast has resulted in over 40,000 deaths and the displacement of around two million people. The conflict has also spread to neighboring countries, including Niger, Cameroon, and Chad, leading to the formation of a regional military coalition to combat these armed groups. Despite efforts to combat the violence, attacks by suspected female suicide bombers targeting public gatherings such as weddings, hospitals, and funerals continue to pose a significant threat to the region’s stability and the safety of its residents.
