Fully Boarded Civilian Bus Hits Booby Trap ISWAP Planted for Soldiers in Northern Nigeria

Except for collaboration with security forces or tax default, civilians hardly fall victim to ISWAP terrorist attacks, though collateral damage happens. Like it did on the Baga-Kukawa Road in Borno on April 17.

Sixteen people died in an explosion when their bus walked over IEDs ISWAP terrorists buried on the road. About 20 also had injuries.

Eyewitnesses and security analysts in the region said the terrorists had planted the booby trap for soldiers they expected would pass the route.

The news of the attack came after President Bola Tinubu claimed his government had further degraded both ISWAP and Boko Haram.

Of course, the home-grown terrorist group Boko Haram has lost its monopoly of the crime since ISWAP splintered off. The rivalry between the two has resulted in losses on both sides. Something of a win for the Nigerian government security forces reeling in attacks since 2011.

But ISWAP now seems the badder of two evils, with the upper hand.

Its staccato attacks now can jolt the Nigerian authorities to realize it has yet  to squelch the terrorist group.