The Nigerian Army has urged residents of Borno State to remain vigilant, warning that terrorists may have deployed multiple suicide bombers in Maiduguri, the state capital.
This is as the death toll from Monday’s multiple explosions hit 26.
The blasts occurred at about 7:00 p.m. at three locations simultaneously—the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), the Monday Market roundabout, and the Post Office.
The coordinated attacks are considered among the deadliest in Maiduguri in recent years.
In a statement on Tuesday, the spokesman of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said troops have intensified surveillance and security operations across the city to track down suspects and prevent further attacks.
He described the incidents as coordinated assaults aimed at causing mass casualties and instilling fear among residents.
“Preliminary information indicates that the terrorists may have deployed multiple suicide bombers into Maiduguri with the intention of carrying out coordinated attacks at crowded locations,” Uba said.
He added that troops of Operation HADIN KAI, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and other security agencies, responded swiftly by securing and cordoning off the affected areas to prevent further harm.
The Army noted that medical teams are currently attending to the injured in various health facilities, while rescue and evacuation operations are ongoing.
“To prevent a recurrence, security forces have intensified surveillance, patrols, and counter-IED measures across the city,” the statement added.
The Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Surajo Abdullahi, confirmed that at least 26 people were killed, while 146 others sustained injuries in the blasts.
He said that 108 injured victims were admitted at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, 20 at Umaru Shehu Hospital, and 17 at Maiduguri Specialist Hospital.
Abdullahi noted that the situation was overwhelming for emergency responders, but coordinated efforts by security agencies helped save many lives.
Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of UMTH, Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo, said the hospital had treated a large number of victims following the attacks.
Casualty figures may be higher – Victims’ families
Families of the victims of Monday’s Maiduguri blasts have suggested that the official casualty figures may be understated.
A resident who preferred anonymity said, “We saw over 200 people on the ground, each with varying degrees of injuries. Other shop owners and I evacuated over 60 people. In Gwange, Bulabulin, and other areas, residents reported burying more than 30 people. I was surprised they said only 23 died.”
Recounting her ordeal, Amina Aisami, whose husband was caught in the blast while admitted at the specialist hospital for kidney treatment, said he stepped out to buy fruits ahead of a dialysis session the next morning.
“Just minutes after he left, we heard the explosions. We rushed to the scene and found him on the ground, soaked in his own blood. He is still unconscious, and the hospital is struggling for donations,” she said.
Another victim, Abatcha Mustapha, admitted at Umaru Shehu Hospital, described being hit by shrapnel. “We were about to leave the market when the first bomb detonated. I heard a loud sound and felt my neck bleeding. My brother tied it with his cloth and brought me to the hospital,” he said.
Residents insisted the devastation may be far worse than official reports suggest.
Blood shortage hits hospitals
Health workers and relatives of victims have appealed for blood donations for the over 146 injured in Monday night’s Maiduguri blasts.
“Please, if you or anyone you know has a blood group and can donate, kindly reach out immediately. Your support can save a life,” a victim’s relative posted on social media.
Some health workers attributed the slow response to the ongoing Ramadan fast. “Many potential donors are unable to give blood during fasting hours, so we are appealing to non-fasting residents to come forward to save lives in the hospital,” a nurse said.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) also called for stronger measures to safeguard healthcare facilities and personnel, while echoing the plea for blood donations to help critically injured patients.
In a statement, NARD President Dr Mohammad Suleiman described the attacks as tragic, barbaric, and unacceptable, particularly condemning the explosion that occurred within the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), the largest tertiary health facility in North-East Nigeria.
“Hospitals are sacred spaces meant for healing, hope, and preservation of life. To witness such a place targeted by acts of violence is both painful and unacceptable,” the association said, while noting that none of its members at UMTH was harmed.
The association urged the federal government and security agencies to strengthen protection around healthcare facilities, especially in conflict-prone areas.
Relocate to Maiduguri, Tinubu orders service chiefs
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, to take charge of the security situation following multiple bomb attacks on Monday.
Speaking shortly before departing for his historic State visit to the United Kingdom, Tinubu condemned the attacks and assured Nigerians that the country would not succumb to fear.
“The recent news from Maiduguri is profoundly upsetting. I mourn those who lost their lives, sympathise with the injured, and stand in solidarity with the people of Borno during this challenging time,” he said.
He described the assaults as “desperate and frantic attempts by criminals and terrorist elements trying to instil fear” while under pressure from security forces, adding that operations against all criminal elements will be intensified.
Commending the bravery of troops who repelled coordinated attacks on military positions, Tinubu noted that additional equipment and operational support approved last weekend are already being deployed.
He also instructed emergency agencies to provide proper care for the injured.
“There is no place in Nigeria where terrorists will find safety. We will locate them, confront them, and completely defeat them. Nigeria will not succumb to fear,” he said.
IGP inspects blast sites, meets victims
The Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, on Tuesday, conducted an operational visit to Maiduguri, Borno State, following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for security chiefs to take charge of the aftermath of Monday’s bomb attacks.
Disu visited key locations, including the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), where victims of the blasts are receiving treatment, and inspected the sites where the explosions occurred.
At the time of filing this report last night, none of the service chiefs had yet arrived in Maiduguri.
However, journalists were informed that the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff are expected to arrive in the state on Wednesday to take direct charge of security operations.
No religion endorses killing of innocent lives – Shettima
Vice President Kashim Shettima expressed grief over the killing of people in Borno State by terrorists, stressing that no religion condones the taking of innocent lives.
Speaking on Tuesday at the closing of the Annual Ramadan Tafsir at the State House Mosque, Abuja, Shettima prayed for the souls of the victims, asking Almighty Allah to grant them eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus and to give their families the strength to bear the loss.
“No religion sanctions the killing of the innocent. Whatever motivates them, may Allah guide them to the right path or remove them from the earth,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to continue praying for the country and for wisdom, courage, and sincerity for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his team.
Highlighting lessons from Ramadan, Shettima emphasised accountability, restraint, and the importance of carrying the month’s teachings into daily life.
“The question is not whether Ramadan is ending, but whether its lessons continue in our actions—in homes, markets, offices, and places of authority,” he said, urging Muslims to live with mercy, service, and conscience.
Ndume to Tinubu: Focus on security, not 2027 politics
Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise citizens’ security over 2027 political calculations.
Ndume called on the government to “walk the talk” on the state of emergency, emphasising that the North-East remains dangerously unstable.
“We seem to have abandoned the people for politics. The people who will vote are dying,” he said, urging immediate action to safeguard lives.
Highlighting security lapses, Ndume noted that one of the Maiduguri blasts involved an IED detonated from a tricycle, stressing that investigations should trace the vehicle to apprehend the perpetrators.
He described the official response as inadequate, calling for national mourning and urging either President Tinubu or Vice President Kashim Shettima to visit Borno to show solidarity.
Ndume also sympathised with victims’ families and warned that the “Renewed Hope” agenda must be measured by safety in homes and public spaces, not political promises.
Presidential orders to security chiefs
This is not the first time a sitting president has ordered security chiefs to relocate to Borno State following attacks by terrorists.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari, during his time in office, issued a series of directives mandating the relocation of military leadership to Maiduguri, as part of efforts to combat insurgency in the North-East.
Shortly after assuming office in 2015, Buhari ordered the military command centre to move from Abuja to Maiduguri. This led to the establishment of a Command and Control Centre in the city to intensify operations against Boko Haram.
Between 2017 and 2018, amid renewed attacks, he directed service chiefs to spend more time in the North-East theatre to strengthen frontline coordination.
In 2019, Buhari again ordered top military commanders to relocate to Maiduguri to improve operational response.
A similar directive was issued in 2021, requiring newly appointed service chiefs to move to the region following a surge in attacks, aimed at boosting morale and effectiveness.
Expert faults Tinubu’s directive
A security expert, Dr Yahuza Getso, Managing Director of Eagles Integrated Security and Logistics, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive ordering service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri, describing it as ineffective.
While acknowledging the President’s concern over renewed attacks, Getso said the strategy has been tried in the past without yielding meaningful results.
“It is a repetition of approaches that have failed to curb insurgency,” he said, noting that similar directives under previous administrations, including that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, did not achieve the desired impact.
He urged the government to adopt proactive, technology-driven strategies rather than relying on outdated methods.
According to him, corruption, complicity, and lack of accountability within the security system remain major obstacles to tackling insurgency.
Getso also called for reforms in the justice system, improved welfare, and modern equipment for security personnel. He stressed the need for intelligence-driven operations that take the fight to criminal elements.
He warned that without fundamental reforms and a shift in strategy, Nigeria may continue to witness persistent attacks despite repeated directives.
Atiku urges Tinubu to rethink strategy as NGF, ADC, Saraki react
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review his administration’s security strategy.
In a statement on Tuesday, Atiku expressed concern over the resurgence of suicide bombings, warning that the renewed violence evokes memories of 2014 when Boko Haram was at its peak.
While commending the sacrifices of security personnel, he said Nigerians expect concrete results rather than rhetoric.
Similarly, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) condemned the attacks, describing them as “shocking and despicable.”
In a statement by its chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the forum pledged support for security agencies and urged intensified efforts to dismantle terrorist networks.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki also decried the attacks as a “despicable act of cowardice,” calling on security agencies to bring perpetrators to justice and prevent further incidents.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) urged President Tinubu to return from his trip to the United Kingdom and focus on addressing insecurity.
The party stressed that protecting lives must take precedence over political and diplomatic engagements, warning that the situation demands urgent and undivided leadership attention.
Presidential aspirant and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accused the APC-led government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of failing to protect lives and property.
In a statement on Tuesday, Amaechi said Nigerians cannot continue to live in fear while leaders fail to act decisively.
He described the Maiduguri attack as a “damning indictment” of incompetent leadership, alleging government inaction amid rising insecurity.
Amaechi criticised what he called hollow responses to tragedies and questioned how many more lives must be lost before decisive action is taken.
He insisted Nigerians deserve safety and dignity, not excuses, urging leaders to take responsibility or step aside.
DAILY TRUST.
