A tragic bomb explosion shattered the fragile calm in Banki, a border community in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, on Friday, leaving four young boys dead and another seriously injured.
The incident, which occurred in the Bayan Tasha area of the insurgency-ravaged town, has once again drawn attention to the lingering dangers posed by unexploded improvised explosive devices (IEDs) scattered across parts of the North-East.
According to the Borno State Police Command, the explosion was triggered by an IED the boys had picked up two days earlier on the outskirts of Banki, mistaking it for scrap metal. The victims—identified as 15-year-old Awana Mustapha, 14-year-old Malum Modu, and two 12-year-olds, Lawan Ibrahim and Modu Abacha—were all killed instantly when the device detonated inside a small room where they had gathered.
A fifth boy, 12-year-old Mustapha Tijja, miraculously survived the blast but sustained severe injuries from metal fragments. He was immediately transported to the FHI 360 NGO Clinic in Banki for emergency treatment and is, according to police, responding to medical care.
In a statement confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, described the circumstances as heartbreaking and avoidable. “The 12-year-old boy, one Mustapha Tijja, sustained serious injuries from the IED fragments and was rushed to the FHI 360 NGO Clinic, Banki, for medical treatment, where he is currently responding to treatment,” Daso said.
Parents Warned, But Too Late
Local sources disclosed to journalists that the boys were believed to be scavengers who often searched through abandoned sites for items they could sell as scrap. Two days before the explosion, they found the metallic object near the outskirts of Banki town and brought it home, unaware that it contained explosives.
A security operative familiar with the investigation revealed that the parents of the boys had actually warned them to return the object, but the children stubbornly refused, fascinated by its appearance and potential monetary value.
“Our investigation shows that two days ago, the boys, between the ages of 12 and 15, picked the explosive device from the outskirts and brought it into their home, mistaking it as scrap metal,” the source said. “Their parents confirmed that they saw it and asked them to return it but they refused. They were trying to dismantle it when the bomb went up and killed four of them inside the room.”
The source added that the force of the explosion completely destroyed the room, burning down clothing, food supplies, and other belongings belonging to the displaced families who had been living there.
Victims Were IDPs Seeking Safety
Tragically, all four boys came from families already displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency. Two of the victims were siblings, another was their cousin, while the fourth boy was the child of a neighbour. Their families, like thousands of others in Bama and surrounding towns, were living as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in an abandoned church building that had been converted into temporary shelter.
Residents in Banki say the incident has thrown the entire community into mourning, as the victims were well-known and their families had endured years of hardship due to violent extremism in the region.
“We have suffered too much already,” one resident lamented. “These children survived Boko Haram attacks, only to die because of leftover explosives they mistook for scrap. It is painful.”
Explosion Highlights Dangerous Legacy of Conflict
Borno State, the epicentre of Nigeria’s battle against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), is littered with explosive remnants of war—landmines, IEDs, and abandoned ordnance. Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that unexploded devices remain a daily threat to farmers, herders, travellers, and especially children, who sometimes mistake strange objects for toys or valuable scrap.
Banki, located near the Cameroon border, has been a hotspot of insurgent activity and military operations for years. As displaced families gradually return or settle in semi-permanent shelters, the risk of encountering explosive materials has increased, particularly in rural outskirts where battles once occurred.
Human rights groups say Friday’s incident underscores the urgent need for intensified demining activities and public awareness campaigns in conflict-affected communities.
Police Warn Residents to Stay Away from Unfamiliar Objects
Following the tragic explosion, the Commissioner of Police extended condolences to the bereaved families and urged residents to be more cautious in handling unfamiliar items found in their environment.
In the formal advisory issued by the police command, residents were strongly warned not to pick up, tamper with, or store strange objects—metallic or otherwise—no matter how harmless they may appear.
He also called for greater cooperation between residents and law enforcement authorities. He urged the public “to promptly report any suspected items sighted at the nearest police station.”
A Community in Mourning
As news of the deaths spread across Banki, hundreds of residents gathered around the charred remains of the boys’ dwelling, struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. For many, the deaths are a painful reminder of the long-term consequences of a conflict that has persisted for over a decade.
Local elders say the incident has renewed calls for international organizations and government agencies to launch more robust sensitization programs targeting children—especially scavengers—who face heightened risk due to poverty and lack of formal education.
Meanwhile, humanitarian workers in Banki say they are monitoring the condition of the lone survivor, Mustapha Tijja, and providing psychological support to the grieving families.
As the community buries its young victims, the tragedy adds yet another chapter to the unending toll of the insurgency, reminding all that long after the gunfire stops, the remnants of war continue to claim innocent lives.
