By Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
Three suspected suicide bombings have killed at least 23 people and wounded 108 others in northeastern Nigeria, police said Tuesday. It was one of the deadliest attacks targeting the city of Maiduguri in recent history, shattering a period of relative stability in the Borno State capital.
The attacks targeted three of the city’s most populated hubs on Monday evening, specifically the Post Office area, the Monday Market, and the entrance to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
The updated toll was released Tuesday after blasts occurred Monday at the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and the two local markets, according to Sirajo Abdullahi, the head of operations at Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Maiduguri.
These strikes occurred around 19:30 local time, just as crowds gathered following the breaking of the day’s Ramadan fast. Borno State police spokesperson Nahum Kenneth Daso confirmed that “preliminary investigation reveals that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers,” adding that an investigation is under way to establish the identity of the attackers.
Calculated Chaos in the State Capital
The explosions were timed for maximum civilian impact, occurring within minutes of each other. Survivors described a scene of immediate panic as the first blast at the hospital gate triggered a stampede. Caleb Jonah, who was visiting a patient, recalled seeing a struggle before the detonation.
“I was coming to the hospital to check in on a patient when I saw two men struggling with the security men at the gate,” Jonah said. “Before I could process what was going on I heard the deafening blast and I passed out.” Mamman Usman, 52, added that his younger brother was closing his stall at the Monday Market when the blast occurred, leaving him “badly injured and rushed to the hospital unconscious.”
Exploiting the Flight of Civilians
At the Monday Market and the nearby Post Office business hub, the attackers appeared to exploit the very fear they created. Witnesses noted that as people fled the initial blasts, they ran directly into the path of subsequent attackers. Mala Mohammed, 31, observed that people ran toward the post office area because the locations are close
together. “Unfortunately, as they were running towards the post office, the person who had the explosive device ran into the crowd while people were still trying to escape,” Mohammed noted. The carnage has overwhelmed local medical facilities, with volunteer Mohammed Hassan stating the city is “in dire need of blood” to treat the 108 survivors who “sustained varying degrees of injuries.” Hassan, who evacuated 10 bodies from the markets, noted that some victims died at the hospital after arrival.
Military and Political Response President Bola Tinubu, speaking before a state visit to the United Kingdom, condemned the acts as “profoundly upsetting” and the “desperate acts of the evil-minded terrorist groups.” He has ordered security chiefs to Maiduguri and told them to “take charge of the situation.”
The strikes came just hours after military forces repelled a separate insurgent raid on a post in the Ajilari Cross area. Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum suggested the violence is a retaliatory response, stating “the recent surge in attacks is not unconnected with intense military operations in the Sambisa forest.” Zulum further described the act as “utterly condemnable, barbaric and inhumane.”
Shifting Security Dynamics in Northeast Nigeria
While no group has claimed responsibility, the hallmarks of the attack point toward Boko Haram or the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Boko Haram originated in Maiduguri, and the city became the epicentre of the group’s insurgency when it began in 2009. The city had been enjoying a stable period after intensified military operations pushed groups into remote border areas.
This latest breach follows a pattern of escalating violence; last week, coordinated attacks on military bases killed at least 14 people, including 10 soldiers.
Malik Samuel, a researcher with Good Governance Africa, noted the psychological weight of the event. “Maiduguri being attacked is like an insult for the security forces,” Samuel said. “For the groups, it is symbolic because it shows nowhere is out of their reach.”
The escalation comes amid increased international involvement, including the deployment of 200 U.S. troops to provide technical support and training to Nigerian forces following U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) air attacks in Sokoto. Nigeria expanded this security cooperation with Washington after President Donald Trump accused the country last year of failing to protect Christians.
While authorities denied systematic persecution, experts note the security crisis affects both Christians and Muslims without distinction. Despite these efforts, the humanitarian toll continues to rise. Local resident Modu Bukar described the immediate aftermath of the market blast: “We were sitting when we suddenly heard a loud explosion. Everyone immediately started running in fear. As we ran, people kept shouting that we should keep going.” Witness
Bagoni Alkali summarized the tragedy at the hospital: “Right now, over 200 people have been injured and are receiving care… I could tell you so many people have died… many lost their lives at the scene immediately after the bomb exploded. It’s disheartening.”
The Resilience of the African Gateway
The return of coordinated suicide bombings to Maiduguri’s urban core represents a critical test for Nigeria’s security architecture and its regional partners. For a city that serves as the strategic heartbeat of the Lake Chad Basin, this tragedy signals that the tactics of extremist factions remain a potent threat to West African stability.
The last major attack of this scale occurred in 2021 when mortar fire killed 10 people, though an unclaimed mosque bombing killed seven last December. As the Nigerian government balances domestic military pressure with expanding international defense cooperation, the endurance of Maiduguri’s residents is once again being pushed to its limit.
The international community must now reconcile the optimism of military gains in the countryside with the reality of an adaptive enemy that continues to haunt the region’s vital population centers. In the broader context of African security, the stability of Maiduguri remains the ultimate barometer of success against the tide of global terror.
