Five children have reportedly been injured in an explosion which rocked the Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.
It was gathered that the explosion followed the detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), possibly planted by terrorists in the area.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-terrorism expert, one of the children affected lost a hand.
Makama said sources within the LGA confirmed that the incident occurred at about 2.26 pm on Thursday, May 8.
He explained that the children were playing around the location and unknowingly touched the IED devices, hidden in block holes near a culvert on the access road to the ongoing construction site at the New Mafa Central Mosque.
“The victims, four males and one female, were identified as Abdullahi Umar, Musa Mele, Fatima Abatcha, Abba Kawu Muhammed, and Khalid Alhaji Bukar, all of Mafa town. The blast caused varying degrees of injuries, with one of the boys losing his hand,” Makama wrote on X.
He noted that a team of security operatives from the Explosive Ordinance Disposal-Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Unit, the Nigeria Police and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) have responded to the situation.
While the professionals have already cordoned off the scene, four of the children have been taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) for medical attention.
The other remaining victim with minor injury was taken to the Mafa General Hospital and has since been discharged.
“In response to the attack, the EOD-CBRN team conducted Explosive Ordinance Risk Education (EORE) for children and community members in Mafa,” Makama added.