Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has ordered a sweeping security response after a series of deadly explosions tore through Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, killing at least 23 people and injuring more than 100, according to local authorities.

The attacks struck busy civilian areas, including a crowded market, the vicinity of a post office and the entrance to a teaching hospital. Witnesses reported scenes of chaos as emergency workers and residents rushed the wounded to nearby clinics already strained by years of conflict in the region.

Security officials say the blasts bear the hallmarks of militants linked to Boko Haram and its splinter factions, which have waged an insurgency in northeastern Nigeria for more than a decade. The military warned that multiple suicide bombers may have been deployed, urging residents to avoid large gatherings and report suspicious movements.

In a statement on his official X account, Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the dead and injured, declaring that the government “stands in solidarity with the people of Borno” and will not allow armed groups to dictate life in the region.

The president announced that additional military hardware, surveillance assets and logistics support have been approved for frontline units. He directed the heads of key security agencies to relocate temporarily to Maiduguri to coordinate operations, signalling a more hands-on federal presence in the state.

Troops were praised by the presidency and defence officials for repelling what they described as coordinated attempts to hit military positions around the city, suggesting the bombings formed part of a broader offensive that was only partially successful.

Police said bomb disposal teams had combed the affected neighbourhoods, neutralising unexploded devices and securing the blast sites. Forensic investigators and intelligence officers are now working to trace the network that planned and executed the attacks.

Humanitarian agencies report that many of the wounded are women and children caught in the evening rush. Hospitals in Maiduguri have appealed for blood donations as they struggle to cope with the influx of casualties.

Officials insist that efforts are underway to prevent further attacks, but the Maiduguri bombings have renewed fears among residents that, despite years of military campaigns, extremist groups retain the capacity to strike at the heart of Nigeria’s northeast.