At least eight people were killed Monday when a vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Niger state, authorities said.
The victims were traveling along a route in Borgu Local Government Area when the device, suspected to have been planted by terrorists, detonated. The explosion also followed an earlier blast that destroyed a bridge along Luma Road linking the Luma, Babana and Agwara communities.
The damaged bridge serves as a key route for residents, particularly those traveling to the Babana border market, which holds weekly on Mondays.
Sources said the vehicle was traveling between Nuku and Woro when it ran over the explosive, killing all eight occupants, including the driver.
Police confirmed the incident and said security operations are ongoing in the area.
Spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, said the bridge was bombed in the early hours of the day.
“On March 23, 2026, at about 6:30 a.m., a report revealed that at about 2 a.m., suspected terrorists used an explosive device to bomb a bridge along Luma Road in Borgu LGA, connecting Luma-Babana-Agwara communities,” he said.
He added that the bridge was damaged during ongoing security operations and that monitoring and clearance efforts have been intensified.
