Awana Gaidam, a notorious bomb maker for the terrorist group Boko Haram, died after accidentally stepping on an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) he had created himself. Gaidam was responsible for numerous IED attacks along major highways in Borno State, Nigeria.
According to Zagazola Makama, a publication focused on the Lake Chad region, Gaidam had planted the IED that killed him in a strategic position in his camp within the Sambisa forest, to deter attacks from Nigerian troops.
The explosion occurred on Monday, when Gaidam’s vehicle drove over the IED along Njumia and Arra in Sambisa forest, blowing him to pieces.
Since the year 2022, the North-East region of Nigeria has experienced a surge in indiscriminate attacks carried out by Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province. These nefarious groups have employed the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in over 90 attacks, causing untold suffering and devastation to innocent civilians.
The intensified pressure from the Nigerian Army, Air Task Force, and Operation Hadin Kai, with the support of the Multinational Joint Task Force from Niger, Cameroon, and Chad in the Lake Chad sub-region, has not deterred these terrorist organizations from unleashing their heinous acts. As the situation continues to escalate, it is imperative that all relevant authorities step up efforts to stem this menace and bring lasting peace to the region.