Six suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province died on Saturday morning when an improvised explosive device detonated prematurely while they were assembling it in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.
The explosion happened around 7 a.m. at Jubilaram, a known hub for ISWAP's bomb-making operations in the Marte-Kerenoa-Wulgo corridor. Security sources said the group was led by a suspected explosives expert named Abu Umar, who was among those killed in the blast. Three other militants sustained serious injuries.
The timing of the incident is significant. It came just hours after joint US forces and the Nigerian Army killed one of ISWAP's top commanders operating in the Lake Chad region, suggesting mounting pressure on the group's leadership and operational infrastructure.
According to intelligence assessments, the dead bomb makers were part of ISWAP's IED-making cell that has been active across the Marte axis. The explosion destroyed an IED manufacturing hub located between Arinna Maimasallaci and Arinna Ciki, which security sources believe may now be temporarily out of operation.
Military officials said the loss of Abu Umar and other bomb-making specialists could significantly weaken ISWAP's capability to deploy improvised explosive devices in the area. These weapons have been central to the group's insurgency, used in attacks on military convoys, civilian settlements, and security installations across the Lake Chad Basin.
The incident represents a notable setback for ISWAP at a time when Nigerian forces and their international partners have intensified operations in the region. The premature detonation, whether accidental or the result of operational negligence, exposed a vulnerability in the group's bomb-making operations.
Military sources said security authorities are planning follow-up air and ground operations to capitalise on the situation and prevent ISWAP from regrouping or relocating its bomb-making operations to other areas along key routes in the Marte axis. The focus will be on denying the insurgents freedom of movement and action in the region.
