19 Killed in Explosion in Nigeria

An explosion at a café in northeastern Nigeria's Borno State has resulted in the deaths of 19 individuals and left 20 others injured, according to security sources on Thursday.

The blast, which occurred on Wednesday night in the village of Kawuri, is among the deadliest incidents in recent years in the region.

Ibrahim Liman, a member of an anti-jihadist militia working with the army, told AFP, "An explosion occurred in a tea café in Kawuri around 8:00 PM yesterday. We recovered 19 bodies and 27 wounded individuals."

Two other militia members confirmed the casualty figures in Kawuri, located nearly 50 kilometers from the state capital, Maiduguri.

This attack follows a recent incident in which suicide bombers killed 32 people in Gwoza, Borno State, targeting a wedding, a hospital, and a funeral.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the Wednesday explosion or the Gwoza attacks. However, Borno State is known for the presence of Boko Haram and its rival faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

While large-scale bombings in towns have become rare since the army drove armed groups out of their strongholds in 2014, these groups continue to carry out attacks in rural areas.

Addressing the insecurity in the region has been a top priority for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who took office over a year ago. The Nigerian armed forces are also combating armed gangs in the northwestern part of the country.

Additionally, the Nigerian Attorney General's office announced that courts have convicted 125 Boko Haram fighters and financiers on various terrorism-related charges in a mass trial this week. 

The Boko Haram insurgency, which began in 2009, has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced millions, creating a humanitarian crisis in northeastern Nigeria and increasing pressure on the government to resolve the conflict.

According to Attorney General spokesman Kamarudeen Ogundele, the convicted individuals faced charges including terrorism, financing terrorism, providing material support, and crimes under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

The last mass trials of suspected Boko Haram members took place between 2017 and 2018, during which 163 individuals were convicted, and 887 were released.

Ogundele also stated that 400 previously convicted defendants have completed their sentences and have been transferred to a rehabilitation center known as "Operation Safe Corridor" in Gombe State, northeastern Nigeria, for deradicalization and reintegration into society.

Boko Haram's notorious 2014 abduction of over 270 schoolgirls from Chibok town sparked global outrage and led to the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. While more than half of the girls have returned, many came back with children.

Recent convictions include 85 individuals for financing terrorism, 22 for crimes related to the International Criminal Court, and the remaining for various terrorism charges.