Maiduguri City Hit by Multiple Blasts; Casualties and Suspects Remain Unclear. Maiduguri, Nigeria — Multiple blasts struck Maiduguri city, the capital of Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno, on Monday, with several people feared killed and others injured, according to local reports and Borno state Governor Babagana Zulum.
The first blast occurred at a post office in the city center, followed shortly by another at the nearby Monday market, local sources.
Additional explosions were reported at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and the eastern neighborhood of Kaleri, all occurring in the early evening.
The number of casualties and the cause of the blasts were not immediately clear. Emergency responders were seen attending to injured individuals at a Maiduguri hospital, some of whom were wearing torn and bloodied clothes.
Videos of the aftermath circulated online, though Reuters could not immediately verify their authenticity.
Governor Zulum condemned the attacks in a statement, describing them as “utterly condemnable, barbaric, and inhumane. ” He did not specify who was responsible for the explosions.
Security operatives and emergency responders were deployed to the area following the blasts, with police spokesperson Nahum Daso Kenneth advising residents to remain calm and avoid the affected areas while assessments continue.
The Nigerian military reported earlier that security forces had repelled attacks on the outskirts of Maiduguri by suspected insurgents in the early hours of Monday. This follows a series of attacks against army bases across Borno this month, resulting in several troop fatalities and weapon seizures by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.
Further details are expected as investigations into the blasts continue.
