Blasts in Nigerias Maiduguri leave many dead and injured

Multiple Explosions Rock Maiduguri, Nigeria’s Northeastern City

A series of blasts occurred in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, on Monday, resulting in casualties and injuries. According to Sirajo Abdullahi, head of operations at Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the explosions took place at the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and two local markets.

The blasts were reported as “suspected suicide bomb events” by police, who have deployed explosives’ clearance teams to three locations. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. The Nigerian military had previously repelled suspected fighter attacks on the outskirts of Maiduguri in the early hours of Monday.

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum condemned the apparent bombings, stating that the recent surge in attacks is linked to intense military operations in the Sambisa forest. Security operatives and emergency responders were deployed following reports of the blasts, with residents advised to remain calm and avoid the area while assessments continue.

Witnesses reported seeing over 200 people injured at the hospital, with many more believed to have died immediately after the bomb exploded. A volunteer group that assists security forces in the conflict evacuated 10 bodies from the markets. The attack has been described as one of the deadliest in Maiduguri in years.

Maiduguri had experienced a relative calm in recent years, but attacks have continued in the countryside surrounding the city. In December, an unclaimed bombing killed at least seven people in a mosque, and last month, coordinated attacks on military bases in the northeast resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people, including 10 soldiers.

The United States has been providing technical and training support to Nigeria’s soldiers in fighting armed groups, with 200 troops expected to join the deployment overall.

Source: Al Jazeera