No fewer than 23 persons have been confirmed dead and 108 others injured following coordinated bomb explosions that struck multiple locations in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Monday evening.
The attacks, which occurred at about 7:24 p.m., targeted the Maiduguri Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office Flyover area, causing widespread panic across the city.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, said preliminary investigations indicate that the explosions were carried out by suspected suicide bombers.
“Regrettably, 23 persons lost their lives, while 108 others sustained varying degrees of injuries,” Daso stated, adding that investigations were ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the attacks.
Security agencies, including police tactical units and the military, were immediately deployed to the affected areas. The locations were secured and cordoned off, while the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit conducted sweep operations to rule out further threats.
The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmaji, also visited the scenes to assess the situation and oversee response efforts. He commiserated with victims and assured residents of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency and the State Emergency Management Agency, evacuated the injured to nearby medical facilities, where they are currently receiving treatment.
Authorities said normalcy has since been restored in the affected areas, with heightened security presence and surveillance across Maiduguri to prevent further incidents.
Meanwhile, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum condemned the attacks, describing them as “despicable, cruel, and cowardly.”
Zulum, who is currently in Saudi Arabia performing the lesser Hajj, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, noting that the attacks targeted innocent civilians during the holy month of Ramadan.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and those injured as a result of the blast. The act is utterly condemnable, barbaric and inhumane,” the governor said in a statement issued by his media aide, Dauda Iliya.
He further linked the recent surge in attacks to intensified military operations against insurgents in the Sambisa Forest and other hideouts, but assured residents that security agencies remain in control of the situation.
The governor urged citizens to remain calm, stay vigilant, and report any suspicious activities to security authorities as efforts continue to bring the perpetrators to justice.
