A landmine explosion killed at least eight people Saturday when a commercial bus struck the device along the Maiduguri-Damboa highway in Nigeria’s conflict-hit Borno State, according to local officials and witnesses.
The blast occurred around 11:45 a.m. near Gidan Kaji, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Damboa, in an area known for attacks by the extremist group Boko Haram.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum said seven people were critically injured and are being treated in the intensive care unit at a hospital in Maiduguri, while 14 others sustained minor injuries. The state government will cover all medical expenses, he added during a visit to survivors.
A local vigilante, Abor Kachallah, confirmed the explosion by phone, while witness Usman Idi, a traveler from Damboa, reported seeing military forces arriving at the scene shortly afterward.
“We saw the wreckage of the bus that hit landmines planted by Boko Haram,” Idi told reporters.
Police spokesperson Kenneth Daso said authorities were still compiling details about the incident.
Boko Haram, designated a terrorist organization by Nigeria, the United States, and several other countries, has waged a deadly insurgency in northeastern Nigeria for over a decade. The group is known for planting landmines and carrying out ambushes along rural roads, targeting civilians and security forces alike.
Just last year, a similar blast on a northeastern highway killed at least seven soldiers.
Governor Zulum called on security agencies to step up efforts to secure major roads and root out insurgent activity in the region.