Panic in Maiduguri as Suicide Bombers Strike, Hospital, Market, Flyover During Iftar

Panic in Maiduguri as Suicide Bombers Strike, Hospital, Market, Flyover During Ifta

Panic gripped residents of Maiduguri on Monday evening as multiple suicide bombers detonated improvised explosive devices at crowded locations across the city during Iftar, leaving casualties and widespread fear in their wake.

The coordinated attacks targeted the Post Office area, the busy Monday Market axis and a location near the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, all within the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.

Security sources identified the attackers as suspected members of Boko Haram, noting that the strikes were carefully timed to coincide with the breaking of fast, when large gatherings of residents are common.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as explosions ripped through the areas, sending residents and traders fleeing for safety. “People were running in different directions. It was confusion everywhere,” a local trader near Monday Market said.

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, alongside operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit and other security agencies, swiftly moved to the affected sites, cordoning off the areas and initiating security sweeps to forestall further attacks.

Emergency responders, including officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, evacuated the injured to nearby health facilities, including the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, General Hospital and Specialist Hospital for urgent medical attention.

Military authorities said preliminary findings indicated that multiple suicide bombers had infiltrated the city in a coordinated operation aimed at inflicting maximum casualties and creating panic among residents.

In response, security forces have intensified surveillance, patrols and counter-IED operations across Maiduguri, with efforts underway to track down other suspected attackers believed to be at large.

Residents have been urged to remain vigilant, avoid crowded areas and promptly report any suspicious persons or objects to security agencies.

Authorities also commiserated with families of victims, assuring that ongoing counter-terrorism operations would be sustained to neutralise those behind the attacks and restore normalcy in the state capital.