Police in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, have confirmed that at least 23 people were killed and 108 others injured following three coordinated bomb explosions in different parts of the city.
The Borno State Police Command disclosed the figures on Monday, saying the attacks were carried out by suspected suicide bombers at busy public locations, heightening fears of renewed insecurity in the region.
Spokesman of the Command, Nahum Kenneth-Daso, in a statement, said the explosions occurred at about 7:24 p.m. at the Maiduguri Market, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) gate, and the Post Office Flyover.
“Following the devastating suspected suicide IED explosions that occurred at about 1924HRS at (1) Maiduguri Market, (2) University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) gate, and (3) Post Office Flyover area, Maiduguri,” he said.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers. Regrettably, a total of twenty-three (23) persons lost their lives, while one hundred and eight (108) others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”
Kenneth-Daso added that security forces responded swiftly, deploying a joint team of police tactical units, the military, and other operatives to secure the affected areas.
“The scenes were immediately secured, cordoned off, and thoroughly swept by the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit… to rule out any additional threats,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Naziru Abdulmajid, also visited the blast sites for an on-the-spot assessment and expressed condolences to victims and their families.
“He commiserated with victims and their families, while assuring the public of the Command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property,” the statement added.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), evacuated the injured to hospitals where they are currently receiving treatment.
Security presence has since been reinforced across Maiduguri and surrounding areas to forestall further attacks.
The latest explosions have disrupted a period of relative calm in Maiduguri, which had seen fewer attacks in recent years as insurgent activities shifted largely to rural areas.
However, fighters linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have intensified attacks in northeastern Nigeria in recent months, targeting both civilians and security formations.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, condemned the attacks, describing them as “barbaric.”
“The recent surge in attacks is not unconnected with intense military operations in the Sambisa forest,” he said.
Nigeria’s long-running insurgency, now in its 16th year, has left over 40,000 people dead and displaced about two million, according to humanitarian estimates.
Maiduguri, once a hotspot of daily bombings and shootings during the peak of the insurgency in the mid-2010s, had experienced a relative lull in major attacks.
The last significant incident in the city occurred about four years ago when mortar fire killed 10 people. More recently, a suspected suicide bombing at a mosque claimed at least seven lives.
Despite improved security within the city, violence has persisted in surrounding communities. Just last week, the military confirmed coordinated attacks on several bases in the northeast, resulting in multiple casualties.
Authorities say investigations into the latest bombings are ongoing.
