•Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede
A total of 1,934 improvised explosive device incidents were recorded across the North-East between 2017 and 2024.
According to a 2025 Nigeria Mine Action review obtained by our correspondent yesterday, road-emplaced IEDs accounted for the bulk of attacks throughout the period, significantly outnumbering body-borne and vehicle-borne incidents.
Road IEDs remained consistently high every year, making them the most persistent security risk, reports The PUNCH.
Breakdown of the yearly figures indicates that 2017 recorded the highest number of incidents with 381 attacks, comprising 165 road-emplaced IEDs, 211 body-borne IEDs, four vehicle-borne IEDs and one other device.
In 2018, the total dropped to 267, including 149 road IEDs, 99 body-borne devices and 10 vehicle-borne incidents.
The figure further declined in 2019 to 189 cases, made up of 117 road IEDs, 32 body-borne, four vehicle-borne, four others and 32 explosive remnants of war.
In 2020, incidents rose to 249, with 187 road IEDs, 23 body-borne, six vehicle-borne, two others and 31 ERW.
The number increased again in 2021 to 281 incidents, including 228 road IEDs, five body-borne, 10 vehicle-borne, 23 others and 15 ERW.
In 2022, the total fell to 185, comprising 160 road IEDs, nine vehicle-borne, five others and 11 ERW, with no body-borne incidents recorded.
The report shows 191 incidents in 2023, including 161 road IEDs, three vehicle-borne, four others and 23 ERW.
Similarly, 2024 recorded 191 incidents, made up of 174 road IEDs, four body-borne, five vehicle-borne and eight other devices.
Nigeria has faced a persistent threat from IEDs used by terrorist groups, particularly in the North-East and North-West.
Over the years, insurgents have continued to adapt their tactics, making the devices more sophisticated and deadly, posing serious risks to security forces, civilians and critical infrastructure.
Speaking at a Counter-Improvised Explosive Device workshop held in Abuja on March 11, 2026, the Coordinator of the NCTC, Maj Gen Adamu Laka, said IEDs had remained one of the most devastating threats faced by troops during counter-terrorism operations, particularly in the North-East and North-West.
According to him, the use of the devices has evolved over the years, with insurgents constantly adapting new methods of detonation.
He stated, “From 2011 to 2017, I saw how the use of IEDs in the North-East evolved. It moved from wire control and telephone control to pressure plates.
“Each time one method of activating an IED was addressed, the insurgents found new ways to improve how they detonated it.
“At one point, we were able to remove the IED from the ground and take it out—though I may not know the exact technical term, as I am not an engineer officer.
“In response, the insurgents began placing another device on top of the pressure plate. By the time the first device holding the pressure plate was removed, the second one would explode.
“I can tell you that the effect is devastating. To this day, Nigeria is still facing this threat.”
