Explosion Kills 9 Passengers On Borno Highway

An explosion killed nine passengers who were travelling on Maiduguri-Damboa Road in Borno State yesterday. The source of explosion was not established at press time.

Motorists who plied the road said the incident led to heavy traffic gridlock, as people gathered to express grief before security agents evacuated the victims.

“I passed the road this afternoon, and I didn’t meet the incident. However, I saw people gathered in the axis where it occurred. We were even delayed a bit as security agents conducted a clearance operation,” PUNCH Online quoted a motorist, Aminu Ismaila, as saying.

Another motorist said, “It was difficult to tell what actually caused the accident. However, we are certain it was not that cars coincided. If you see the bus, you can tell clearly that it was an explosion because it was damaged beyond recognition.

“What we heard was that it stepped on an explosive, not too far from the roadside, and the nine passengers all died instantly.”

Spokesman of the state police command, ASP Nahum Daso, said he needed time for information on the incident before commenting on it.