Suspected Suicide Bombings Kill 23, Injure Over 100 in Maiduguri
At least 23 people have been killed and 108 others injured following a series of suspected suicide bombings in Maiduguri, in one of the deadliest attacks in the city in recent times.
According to police, the near-simultaneous explosions occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Monday at three of the city’s busiest locations—a post office, a popular weekly market, and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital—shortly after residents gathered to break their Ramadan fast.
Authorities said preliminary investigations indicate the attacks were carried out by suspected suicide bombers, with efforts ongoing to identify those responsible.
Nigeria’s military has blamed the assault on militants linked to Boko Haram, the insurgent group that originated in Maiduguri and has waged a violent campaign in the region since 2009.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and chaos. A resident, Modu Bukar, said people fled in different directions after a loud explosion rocked the market area, while another witness recounted how a suspected bomber ran into a crowd near the post office as people attempted to escape.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attacks, describing them as “profoundly upsetting” and acts of desperation by terrorist groups. He said he had directed security chiefs to immediately relocate to Maiduguri and take control of the situation.
The attacks came just hours after security forces repelled an attempted overnight assault by suspected militants on a military post in the Ajilari Cross area on the outskirts of the city.
Once the epicentre of Boko Haram’s insurgency, Maiduguri had experienced a period of relative calm in recent years following intensified military operations that pushed fighters into remote border regions.
However, the scale and coordination of Monday’s bombings—deep within the city—have rattled residents and raised fresh concerns about security. Violence in north-east Nigeria has declined from its peak around 2015, but attacks by Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province, have resurged in recent months.
Security agencies say they are on high alert, warning that the threat of further attacks remains as emergency responders continue to assist victims and reinforce safety measures across the city.
