A devastating suicide bombing carried out by a female assailant late Friday night has left at least 24 people dead and over 30 others injured in Konduga, Borno State—one of the deadliest such attacks in recent months.

According to local sources and security officials, the bomber detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at a crowded food joint and fish market around 10 p.m., targeting civilians in the restive northeastern town. The explosion tore through the evening gathering, killing the bomber and scores of innocent victims. Only the bomber’s head was reportedly recovered intact.

Police authorities confirmed the attack in a statement issued Saturday by Borno State police spokesperson, Nahum Kenneth Daso. He said the bomber had infiltrated the crowd before detonating the IED. Victims with severe injuries were rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited in a local morgue.

Eyewitnesses and local residents suggest the casualty figures could rise, as many of the wounded are in critical condition. A joint security team—comprising military personnel, police, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local hunters—has cordoned off the area, stepping up patrols to forestall further violence.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion immediately fell on Boko Haram and its splinter factions, which have carried out similar assaults over the years. Konduga has remained a flashpoint in the 16-year Islamist insurgency that has ravaged Borno and neighboring states, killing tens of thousands and displacing over two million people.

The Friday night attack comes less than a year after a similar bombing in Konduga killed 17 people in August 2024, underscoring the continued vulnerability of civilian spaces despite repeated claims of progress in counterterrorism efforts.