Apprentice is still in hospital after mistakenly detonating an improvised explosive device he found while collecting firewood in a forest in the Gujba district of Yobe State.

A young man’s leg was severely wounded and some of his fingers severed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in the Gujba district of Yobe State in Nigeria’s northeast.

Two other people were also wounded when the device detonated on Saturday, March 22.

The three victims found the device while collecting firewood in the Ngomari community in Buni Yadi, the headquarters of the Gujba Local Government Area.

Apart from the undetonated IED, the young men found an AK-47 assault rifle and bullets while scavenging in the bush.

How the blast happened

Malam Isyaku Dahiru, secretary of the Local Metal Fabricators Association in the Gujba district, said: “One of our apprentices found the IED, rifle and bullets and brought it to the market square where we forge metal.

“The young man, who is 22, was collecting wood with two others in a forest in the nearby Ngomari community. He did not know what it was and tried to open the IED out of curiosity.

“We have warned firewood collectors and metal scavengers often in the past that if they find strange objects they should immediately report it to security operatives. But curiosity got the better of him.

“He struck the device with a hammer trying to open it. That triggered the explosion. The 22-year-old’s leg was severely wounded and some of his fingers were severed in the blast.

“The other two were not as badly wounded. They were all taken to Yobe State Specialist Hospital in Buni Yadi for urgent treatment. They are still in hospital.”

Security situation in Gujba

Mammadu Garundole, a journalist based in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, told Ndarason: “Since the start of Ramadan fasting, insurgents have intensified attacks on major roads and in communities in the Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

“It is believed that the IED might have been planted by Boko Haram [Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād – JAS] insurgents. There have been a number of IED blasts. This is certainly not the first time. Insurgents often plant IEDs in the bush. Sometimes they throw IEDs into an open field to draw residents to the area and get their attention. Then they abduct them for ransom.

“Some people say the recent surge in attacks by insurgents is in revenge for a recent mission by the Nigerian military and other security operatives during which they conducted clearance operations on insurgent enclaves around the Gujba local council. Several insurgents were neutralised.

“Just recently – about six days ago – insurgents abducted several passengers in a car travelling along the Gujba-Damaturu road which is about 50km long. The military was able to rescue some of them but there are still some people missing,” said Garundole.

“Not so long ago, insurgents also killed one of the top commanders of local hunters in Gujba.

“Right now, the roads are unsafe for travellers even though there is a heavy security presence.

“Some residents in communities in the Gujba district have fled from their villages and ancestral hometowns because of repeated attacks. Some have fled to Damaturu, others are taking refuge in Buni Yadi.

“Residents are fearful. They are afraid of staying in the more remote villages where they are easy prey for insurgents.

“These days the security situation in Gujba is deteriorating despite the heavy security presence.”

More awareness

Garundole said the Yobe State government and the military needed to hold meetings with locals to increase their awareness of the dangers of picking up or touching unknown objects.

“That is the only way to avoid such incidents. Young people are naturally curious – they must be told what to look out for.

“It is crucial for locals to report any suspicious objects – as well as strange people – to the nearest security post. It is only by working with security operatives that the situation will improve. Urgent action is needed to address the deteriorating security situation in Gujba,” Garundole said.

Common tactic

Planting IEDs is a common tactic used by JAS and Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) fighters in their battle against the military and other security operatives, particularly as counterinsurgency operations intensify.

“Sadly, it is usually innocent people who are harmed or killed,” Garundole said.

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO