BY GODWIN OBI WITH AGENCY REPORT
Panic gripped residents of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, on Monday evening after multiple explosions rocked parts of the city less than 24 hours after insurgents attacked a community on its outskirts.
Unconfirmed reports said the blasts occurred around 7:15 p.m. near the Post Office area in the city centre, close to the busy Monday Market, and at the main gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
The explosions followed an earlier attack by suspected fighters of Boko Haram on the Ajilari community on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
Videos circulating online showed emergency responders evacuating victims from the scene of the blasts and rushing them to hospitals across the city for medical attention.
Police Confirm Blasts
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed that security agencies received reports of explosions in parts of the city.
According to him, preliminary information indicated that the blasts occurred at the Post Office area and at the main entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, though he had yet to confirm an explosion at the Monday Market.
“Yes, there were reports of explosions at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital main gate and the Post Office area, but regarding the one at Monday Market, I do not have information yet. I will get back once I have more details,” Daso said.
He added that the number of casualties remained unclear as victims were taken to different hospitals across Maiduguri.
However, residents feared that the explosions might have caused several deaths and injuries.
A media aide to Babagana Umara Zulum, governor of Borno State, said emergency agencies were still trying to confirm whether the blasts resulted in casualties.
An AFP reporter at the teaching hospital said dozens of injured persons were seen receiving treatment following the incident.
Idris Suleiman Gimba, an official with the National Blood Service Commission, also confirmed that one of the explosions occurred close to the city’s post office.
Rising Attacks in the North-East
The blasts came hours after suspected insurgents launched an overnight attack on a military post on the outskirts of Maiduguri. Another assault was also reported in Damboa Local Government Area, south of the city.
Militants from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have intensified attacks across Nigeria’s North-East in recent months.
The insurgency, which began about 16 years ago, has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced around two million, according to humanitarian estimates.
Recent Explosions
Security incidents involving improvised explosive devices have been recorded several times in the state over the past six months.
Among them was a December 24, 2025 explosion at a mosque in Gamboru Market in Maiduguri during evening prayers that killed at least five people.
In April 2025, an IED blast targeted commuters travelling on a military-escorted convoy along the Maiduguri–Damboa road, leaving seven people dead.
Another explosion occurred in June 2025 at Tashan Kifi, an entry point to a fish market in Konduga, when a female suicide bomber detonated explosives.
Amid the renewed attacks, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum had earlier warned of the growing use of drones by insurgent groups, urging the Federal Government to urgently review the country’s air defence and security systems.
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