KEY POINTS

• Eight people feared dead after a vehicle hit an IED planted by terrorists in Borgu, Niger State.
• The explosion also destroyed a key bridge linking Luma, Babana, and Agwara communities, disrupting trade routes.
• Police launched clearance operations as local leaders link attackers to recent killings around Kainji Lake National Park.

At least eight people were feared dead after suspected terrorists detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) along Luma Road in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The explosion destroyed a bridge linking Luma, Babana, and Agwara communities, a vital route that supports movement and commercial activities in the area. The bridge also serves traders heading to the Babanna border market, which holds every Monday.

The incident occurred when a vehicle traveling between Nuku and Woro reportedly ran over another IED planted on the road.

The device exploded, killing all seven passengers and the driver. Authorities said the explosive had been planted after terrorists bombed the bridge earlier in the early hours of the same day, worsening security concerns and disrupting movement across the affected communities.

Police confirm attack, clearance operation ongoing

Spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the attack, stating that suspected terrorists operating from the Park Forest carried out the bombing around 2:00 a.m. on March 23, 2026. He added that security operatives had launched a clearance operation in the area to prevent further attacks and restore safety.

Magajin Garin Musawa, Hassan Musa Jikantoro, also confirmed the incident, noting that the affected bridge is the only commercial route facilitating business activities within the kingdom. He warned that the destruction would significantly disrupt trade and movement in the region.

Jikantoro further alleged that the terrorists, believed to have camps within Kainji Lake National Park, were responsible for recent killings in Kasuwan Daji, Wawa, and Woro in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, as well as a previous attack in Agwara town. The development has heightened fears of expanding terrorist activities along border communities between Niger and Kwara states.