Terrorists bomb bridge in Niger to disrupt military operations

Suspected terrorists have bombed a bridge along Luma Road in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State in what authorities believe is an attempt to disrupt ongoing military operations in the area.

The incident, which reportedly occurred around 2:00 a.m. on Monday, affected a key bridge linking Luma, Babana, and Agwara communities—areas that have witnessed repeated attacks in recent times.

Local sources said the destruction of the bridge has significantly disrupted movement and economic activities, particularly the Babana border market, a major trading hub usually held on Mondays, as traders were unable to access the area.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the attackers, suspected to be operating from the Kainji National Park axis, used an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) to carry out the attack.

“On March 23, 2026, at about 6:30 a.m., a report was received that earlier, at about 2:00 a.m., suspected terrorists from the forest area used an explosive device to bomb a bridge along Luma Road in Borgu LGA, connecting Luma, Babana, and Agwara communities. The bridge was damaged in what appears to be an attempt to undermine security operations in the area. Monitoring continues, while clearance operations have been intensified,” he said.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that a commercial vehicle carrying eight passengers reportedly ran over another IED along the Nuku–Woro road, resulting in the death of all occupants.

Residents attributed the explosion to suspected bandits believed to have planted the device. However, the police spokesperson did not confirm the incident involving the vehicle at the time of filing this report.