Multiple bomb explosions ripped through Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, on Monday night, triggering panic across the city and leaving an unspecified number of people feared dead and injured, according to emergency officials and security sources.
Authorities said the blasts occurred at several locations across the city, including the busy Monday Market, the entrance to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and areas around the Post Office district. Emergency responders and security personnel were quickly deployed to the affected locations to assist victims and secure the sites of the explosions.
Preliminary reports indicate that the explosions were likely carried out by suicide bombers, although officials said investigations are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the attacks. Emergency services confirmed that several people were killed or wounded in the blasts, though the full extent of casualties had not been officially verified at the time of reporting.
Reacting to the incident, Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno State, condemned the attacks and described them as “utterly condemnable,” while assuring residents that security agencies had been mobilised to restore calm and track down those responsible.
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency confirmed that ambulances and rescue teams were dispatched to the blast scenes to evacuate the injured to nearby hospitals, including the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. According to the agency’s Maiduguri operations head, the explosions struck key civilian areas, intensifying fears among residents.
The Borno State Police Command also confirmed the explosions, saying security operatives had secured the affected areas while investigations were underway. Police authorities said the attacks were suspected to have been carried out by insurgents linked to extremist groups operating in the region.
Residents described scenes of chaos following the blasts, with people fleeing crowded areas as emergency responders rushed to rescue victims. Witnesses reported seeing bodies at some of the explosion sites, while others said the blasts occurred almost simultaneously, causing widespread confusion across the city.
The attack underscores the continuing security challenges in northeastern Nigeria, where insurgent groups including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have waged a prolonged insurgency for more than a decade. Although attacks in Maiduguri had reduced in recent years due to intensified military operations, authorities say the latest explosions highlight the persistent threat posed by extremist groups in the region.
