Multiple Explosions Rock Maiduguri Hours After Insurgent Attack
Residents of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, were thrown into panic on Monday evening after multiple explosions occurred less than 24 hours following a suspected insurgent attack on a nearby community.
According to reports, the blasts happened around 7:15 p.m. at key locations, including the Post Office area and the main gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. There were also unconfirmed reports of another explosion at the popular Monday Market.
The Nigeria Police Force confirmed the incidents through its spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, who said preliminary findings pointed to explosions at the hospital gate and the Post Office area, while verification was ongoing regarding the reported blast at the market.
Casualty figures remain unclear as of the time of filing this report, with victims reportedly taken to different hospitals across the city. Eyewitness footage showed injured persons being evacuated for urgent medical attention.
Aide to the state governor, Dauda Iliya, said authorities were still working to confirm the number of casualties, while reports indicated that dozens of injured persons were seen receiving treatment at medical facilities.
The incidents come amid renewed violence in Nigeria’s North-East, where Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have intensified attacks in recent months. Earlier, suspected insurgents reportedly launched an attack on a military post on the outskirts of Maiduguri, as well as another attack in Damboa Local Government Area.
Maiduguri, once the epicentre of insurgency in the region, had experienced relative calm in recent years, making the latest attacks particularly alarming.
The insurgency, now spanning over 16 years, has resulted in more than 40,000 deaths and displaced about two million people across the region.
Recent incidents highlight growing security concerns, including a December 2025 mosque explosion in Gamboru Market that killed at least five people, and earlier attacks involving improvised explosive devices along the Maiduguri–Damboa Road.
Governor Babagana Zulum has previously raised alarm over the evolving tactics of insurgents, particularly the reported use of drones in attacks, warning that the development poses a serious threat to national security.
Security agencies say investigations are ongoing as efforts continue to stabilise the situation and prevent further attacks.
