The Borno State Police Command has confirmed that 23 people were killed and 108 others injured in a series of coordinated suicide bombings that struck Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The attacks, carried out with improvised explosive devices, targeted some of the city’s busiest and most strategic locations, including the Maiduguri Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and the Post Office Flyover area. The blasts ripped through the locations in quick succession, sending residents fleeing and overwhelming first responders.
Police spokesperson ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso said preliminary findings indicate that the explosions were the work of suspected suicide bombers who detonated devices in crowded areas to maximise casualties. The attackers were believed to have blended with traders, patients’ relatives and commuters before setting off the explosives.
A combined deployment of Police Tactical Units, military personnel and other security agencies was immediately dispatched to the scenes. The affected areas were sealed off as operatives worked to secure the locations and prevent secondary attacks.
Specialist teams from the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit conducted detailed sweep operations around the blast sites to ensure there were no additional devices or hidden threats. Security sources said the rapid cordon and search operation was aimed at stabilising the city and reassuring residents.
Emergency responders from the National Emergency Management Agency and the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, working alongside medical teams, evacuated the injured to various hospitals in Maiduguri. Health officials said the victims sustained varying degrees of injuries, ranging from shrapnel wounds and fractures to severe burns.
The Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajid, visited the scenes for an on-the-spot assessment and later met some of the injured in hospital. He commiserated with families of the dead and wounded and pledged that security agencies would intensify efforts to protect the city and track down those behind the attacks.
Police authorities said normalcy has been restored in the affected areas, but security presence and surveillance have been significantly increased across Maiduguri and surrounding communities. Investigations are ongoing to determine the identities, networks and possible sponsors of the attackers.
The command urged residents to remain calm but vigilant and to report suspicious persons, movements or objects to security agencies using established emergency contact lines. Authorities also commended the resilience and cooperation of the public, promising sustained operations to maintain peace and security in Borno State.
