Suspected IED Explosion Kills Four, Injures 21 Along Yobe Market Route

A suspected improvised explosive device (IED) went off on Friday along the Katarko-Goniri Road in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, killing four people and injuring 21 others.

The victims, mainly residents of the Gotala community, were reportedly en route to the popular Buniyadi market when their vehicle struck the hidden device.

According to Channels Television, the bodies of the deceased were transported back to their community for burial, while the injured are currently receiving treatment at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital and Damaturu Specialist Hospital.

Gotala sits near the edge of the Sambisa Forest, a notorious hideout for Boko Haram insurgents for over 15 years. The area has remained vulnerable to terrorist activity, with frequent attacks targeting civilians and security operatives.

A separate source revealed that additional IEDs may have been planted along the same road, as some military and vigilante vehicles reportedly also encountered buried explosives on Friday, resulting in further casualties.

As of the time of this report, the military has not released an official statement regarding the incident.

Relatives of the victims, speaking from the hospitals, urged the Yobe State Government to urgently rehabilitate the deteriorating road. They stressed that the poor condition of the route has made it easy for insurgents to operate undetected, posing a grave threat to local communities and nearby military formations stationed in Goniri.