Nigeria witnessed two separate but deadly attacks over the weekend, underscoring the persistent insecurity plaguing the nation’s roads and rural communities.

In Borno State, at least nine passengers were killed on Saturday by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by Boko Haram terrorists in Mairari village, Guzamala Local Government Area. The explosives detonated at a local bus stop, injuring several others who were waiting to board commercial vehicles. The injured victims were rushed to hospitals in Monguno and Maiduguri for treatment.

Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, confirmed the incident and condemned the attack as “inhumane.” He appealed to the Nigerian military to intensify operations and reclaim Guzamala LGA, which remains largely under Boko Haram control. Lawan lamented the repeated displacement of residents from communities like Gudumbali and Mairari, which have faced continued insurgent violence despite previous resettlement efforts.

“Unfortunately, some terrorists who have been monitoring the movement of displaced farmers planted IEDs at the local bus stop. This tragedy has left families devastated,” he said, urging the newly deployed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, to prioritize reclaiming Guzamala.

Meanwhile, in Benue State, nine people, including the driver of a state-owned transport bus, were abducted Saturday evening by armed men along the Owukpa–Orokam road in Ogbadibo LGA. The bus was returning from Orba market in Enugu State when it was ambushed around 7 p.m. Gunmen opened fire, injuring the driver and a passenger, and caused the vehicle to veer off the road. The attackers then kidnapped the remaining passengers.

Grace Ogwuche, a resident who witnessed the incident, said one of the wounded passengers was abandoned at the scene due to heavy bleeding and is now receiving intensive care at St. Mary’s Hospital in Okpoga, Okpokwu LGA.

Local vigilante leader Amos Agada confirmed the abduction and noted that no contact had yet been made by the kidnappers. He said efforts were underway to locate and rescue the victims.

These incidents highlight the ongoing threats posed by both insurgency in the North-East and armed criminal gangs in the North-Central, raising fresh concerns over the safety of public transportation and rural communities in Nigeria.