Ahmed J Versi
London, (The Muslim News): At least five people were killed and 35 others injured on Wednesday evening when an explosion tore through a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State, during evening prayers, police said.
The blast occurred at around 6:00 p.m. at the Al-Adum Juma’at Mosque, located within the busy Gamboru Market area. Worshippers had gathered for prayers when the explosion struck, triggering panic and prompting an immediate emergency response.
In a statement, the Borno State Police Command said preliminary findings suggest the incident may have been a suicide bombing. Police cited witness accounts and the recovery of fragments believed to be from a suicide bomber’s vest. Investigations are ongoing to establish the exact cause and circumstances of the explosion.
Police spokesperson ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso said the affected area was swiftly cordoned off to ensure public safety and allow emergency operations to proceed. Security forces also carried out a sweep of the surrounding market area to check for any secondary devices.
Rescue efforts were coordinated under the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and other security and emergency services. Many of the injured were taken to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
Accounts of the death toll varied in the immediate aftermath. A mosque leader and local militia sources told international media that between seven and eight people may have been killed, while police confirmed five fatalities. Witnesses described seeing numerous victims being evacuated for medical care amid dust and debris at the scene.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Maiduguri has long been at the centre of an insurgency led by the armed group Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Both groups have previously carried out attacks on mosques, markets, and other crowded civilian locations, often using suicide bombers or improvised explosive devices.
The conflict in northeastern Nigeria has claimed at least 40,000 lives and displaced about two million people since 2009, according to the United Nations. Although violence in Maiduguri has declined significantly in recent years—with the last major attack recorded in 2021—security analysts have warned of a potential resurgence, as armed groups remain capable of mounting deadly assaults despite sustained military operations.
Authorities said they would continue investigations and urged residents to remain vigilant as security measures are reinforced across the city.
[Map of Nigeria by CIA/US Government]
