An explosion involving an improvised explosive device left five young residents of Mafa town injured on Thursday, May 8, with one boy losing a hand.
The blast, which occurred at approximately 2:25 p.m., happened near the construction site of the New Mafa Central Mosque.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama confirmed the children had unintentionally triggered the devices, which were concealed in concrete blocks along a roadside culvert.
The injured children were named as Abdullahi Umar, Musa Mele, Fatima Abatcha, Abba Kawu Muhammed, and Khalid Alhaji Bukar. All sustained various injuries, with one requiring immediate surgical attention due to a lost limb.
Personnel from the EOD-CBRN Unit, alongside local police and Civilian JTF, arrived to manage the situation. The team neutralized other potential threats and found remnants of the IEDs, which were crafted using tin cans.
Four of the victims were transferred to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for advanced care.
One child with less severe injuries was discharged after initial treatment at Mafa General Hospital.
Following the incident, EOD officers began risk awareness campaigns in the community to prevent similar tragedies.
