Maiduguri Bombings Leave 23 Dead, Over 100 Injured

No fewer than 23 persons have been confirmed dead and 108 others injured following multiple explosions that rocked Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Monday night.

Security sources and emergency officials said the coordinated attacks, suspected to be suicide bombings, targeted crowded locations including the Monday Market, the Post Office area, and the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

Eyewitnesses reported that the explosions occurred in quick succession at a time when residents were returning home after breaking their Ramadan fast, causing widespread panic and confusion.

The Borno State Police Command confirmed the casualty figures, noting that the injured victims had been evacuated to nearby hospitals for treatment, while security operatives cordoned off the affected areas.

A joint team of security agencies was immediately deployed to restore order and prevent further attacks.

Although no group has officially claimed responsibility, authorities suspect the involvement of insurgent groups operating in the North-East, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

President Bola Tinubu condemned the attacks, describing them as acts of terrorism, and directed security chiefs to take charge of the situation in Maiduguri and intensify efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Meanwhile, security presence has been heightened across the city, while investigations into the incident are ongoing.

The latest attack is considered one of the deadliest in recent times in Maiduguri, a city that has witnessed a resurgence of insurgent activities despite earlier gains in security operations.