Borno State Police have confirmed that four children died in an explosion caused by an improvised explosive device, IED, in Banki town, Bama Local Government Area.
Police Public Relations Officer ASP Keneth Daso said the blast occurred on Friday at around 12:40 p.m. behind Banki Motor Park in Wajari Ward.
According to the police, a 12-year-old boy, Mustapha Tijja, was injured while playing with four friends in a makeshift structure behind the motor park. The IED, reportedly found in the bush, accidentally detonated. Mustapha was rushed to the FHI 360 Clinic and is currently receiving treatment.
The four children who died are Awana Mustapha, 15; Malum Modu, 14; and Lawan Ibrahim and Modu Abacha, both 12.
Police have restored normalcy in the area, and investigations are ongoing. The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, urged the public to avoid handling unknown objects and to report suspicious items immediately.
