Multiple explosions rocked Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, on Monday evening, hours after suspected insurgents launched an attack on a military post on the outskirts of the city.
Security sources said the militants struck a Nigerian military position in the Ajilari Cross area, a district located a few kilometres from the city’s airport, at about midnight. The attack triggered heightened security activity across the area.
A counterinsurgency analyst, Makama Zagazolla, reported that one of the explosions occurred near the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, while other blasts were heard around the city’s main market and near the post office.
Officials said emergency and security agencies were deployed to assess the situation and determine whether there were casualties. Dauda Iliya, media aide to the Borno State government, said authorities were still working to verify the impact of the explosions.
Police spokesman Nahum Kenneth Daso confirmed that security forces responded after reports of sporadic gunshots and blasts linked to attempted infiltration by suspected militants.
According to him, joint security operatives engaged the attackers in a coordinated response, forcing them to retreat.
Residents said the incident sparked panic in nearby communities. One resident, Yakaka Ali Gana, described the assault as the first of its kind in the area.
Insurgent groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have intensified attacks across northeastern Nigeria in recent months, continuing a prolonged insurgency that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
The Nigerian military had yet to issue an official statement on the incidents as of press time.
Explosions Shake Maiduguri After Insurgents Attack Military Post
