In Gubio Town, Borno State, a tragic event unfolded on Saturday, January 27, as an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off, causing the untimely death of six young students attending a Quranic school, commonly known as Almajirai.
According to a report from counterinsurgency expert Zagozola Makama, the incident occurred when a person collecting metal unintentionally gathered various metallic items in a building close to a Tsangaya school.
Unfortunately, one of the items turned out to be an abandoned, yet undetonated IED. The explosion, happening around 2 pm, resulted in the loss of lives and inflicted severe injuries on the children.
It’s crucial to highlight that metal scavenging had been prohibited in Borno State by Governor Babagana Zulum since July 2023.
This decision was prompted by reports of alleged vandalism of government facilities in deserted communities.
Governor Zulum, in justifying the ban, emphasized the dangers faced by scavengers who often became victims of insurgent attacks while searching for items in abandoned areas.
Despite the official prohibition, the report points out that metal scavengers continued their activities unabated.
This persistence in defiance of the ban ultimately led to this devastating and entirely preventable loss of young lives.
The incident underscores the importance of adhering to safety regulations and the need for strict enforcement of measures to protect the lives of individuals, especially in regions affected by conflicts and security challenges.
