An improvised explosive device exploded in Banki, a border community in Borno State, killing four children on December 5, 2025. The device, suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram, detonated near a motor park where the children were playing. One boy was injured in the incident.
On December 5, 2025, at around 12:40 p.m., an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated behind Banki Motor Park in Wajari Ward, Banki town, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. The explosion claimed the lives of four boys aged 12 to 15, who had been playing with a strange object in a makeshift room near the site.
The victims were identified as Awana Mustapha, 15; Malum Modu, 14; Lawan Ibrahim, 12; and Modu Abatcha, 12. A 12-year-old boy, Mustapha Tijani, sustained serious injuries from shrapnel and burns. The Borno State Police Command's spokesman, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed the details in a statement issued from Maiduguri.
"The Borno State Police Command wishes to inform the general public of a tragic Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion that occurred today, 5/12/2025, at about 12:40 hours behind Banki Motor Park, Wajari Ward, Banki, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State," the statement read. It added that one Babagana Mohammed reported an unexploded IED at 1:00 p.m., prompting the Divisional Police Officer of Banki and his team to mobilize, cordon the area, and ensure safety.
The police suspect the IED was planted by Boko Haram terrorists in the bush. Preliminary investigations indicate the children, possibly scavenging, encountered the device while playing. Borno State Police Commissioner Naziru Abdulmajid expressed condolences to the families and urged the public, especially children, to avoid touching strange objects or suspected explosives in communities and farmlands. Normalcy has since been restored in the area.