Over 23 Dead, 108 Injured In Maiduguri Multiple Bomb Blasts

OVER 23 persons have been confirmed dead and about 108 injured in multiple explosions that shook Maiduguri on Monday evening, March 16, in what has ben described as coordinated terrorist suicide attacks in different parts of the Borno State capital.
The state Police Command said the blasts occurred about 7:24 p.m. on Monday aimed at crowded and strategic locations within the metropolis, including the Monday Market Maiduguri, gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) and the Post Office Flyover.
Security experts believe the choice of targets indicated an intent to cause mass casualties, create panic and disrupt socio-economic activities in the city.
The Command’s spokesman, Nahum Kenneth Daso (ASP), in a statement, said preliminary investigations indicated that the attacks were carried out by suspected suicide bombers using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in near-simultaneous explosions across multiple locations.
He stated: “Preliminary investigation reveals that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers.
“Regrettably, a total of twenty three (23) persons lost their lives, while one hundred and eight (108) others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attacks, which came as Nigeria battles security challenges across the country, especially in the northeast, northwest and middle belt.
Boko Haram and the ISIL (ISIS) affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) groups are known to have carried out several attacks against military bases and installations in the state ‌this month.
The military, in a statement on Monday, said it had repelled attacks by suspected fighters in the early hours ⁠of the day on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
Following the explosions, a joint security team of Police tactical units, military personnel and other operatives was visibly deployed to the affected locations, which were immediately secured and cordoned off as the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit conducted sweep operations to ensure no additional explosive devices were left behind.
Governor Babagana Zulum, while condemning the attacks, said “the recent surge in attacks is not unconnected with intense military operations in the Sambisa forest.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and those injured as a result of the blast. The act is utterly condemnable, barbaric and inhumane.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajid, who led a high-level assessment visit to the affected sites, sympathised with victims and their families, assuring residents that the Command remained committed to protecting lives and property, even as he announced that enhanced measures had been activated across the state.
Emergency response teams, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), worked alongside medical personnel to evacuate victims, with thise injured evacuated to hospitals in the metropolis for prompt attention.
The authorities said efforts were ongoing to restore normalcy across the city, urging residents to remain calm, but vigilant, and to promptly report suspicious movements or objects to security agencies.