Maiduguri blast survivors recount horror as Tinubu orders service chiefs to relocate to Borno

Survivors of Monday night’s coordinated suicide bombings in Maiduguri, Borno State, described scenes of confusion, panic, and bloodshed Tuesday, as the Nigerian Army warned that additional Boko Haram bombers may still be operating within the city.

Speaking from his bed at Umaru Shehu Hospital, Abacha Mustapha said he was preparing to close his shop at Monday Market when the first device detonated. “I heard a loud sound and suddenly my neck started bleeding,” Mustapha said.

His brother used a cloth to apply pressure to the wound before rushing him to a hospital. “If not for him, I don’t know what would have happened,” he said.

Another survivor, Mohammed Jubril, said the force of a nearby blast immediately robbed him of his hearing. “The whole place was covered in smoke and I saw many people lying on the floor with injuries. As I speak with you, I cannot hear anything,” he said.

A bricklayer admitted to Umaru Shehu Ultramodern Hospital in Bulumkutu, who sustained injuries to his legs and right hand, said he worried about feeding his five children while hospitalized.

“I am a bit worried over who will put food on the table for the children as my wife is jobless,” he said.

Hauwa Sanusi appealed publicly for help locating her younger sister, who had been missing since the explosions. “We have visited some hospitals and couldn’t find her. We are in pain, please help us,” she said.

Death toll disputed as hospitals fill up

The Borno State Police Command confirmed 23 people dead and 108 injured in the triple bombings, which struck Monday Market, the main gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office Flyover area at approximately 7:24 p.m.

However, witnesses placed the death toll above 40, saying some of the injured died while undergoing treatment.

The chief medical director of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Prof. Ahmed Ahijo, said 25 people were confirmed dead at his facility alone, with more than 70 others undergoing treatment.

Nura Bukar, a patient at the State Specialist Hospital who sustained a head wound and required a blood transfusion, called on residents to visit hospitals and donate blood.

“There were many victims in critical condition who needed immediate blood transfusion to save their lives,” he said.

Army warns of more bombers in the city

The Nigerian Army confirmed Tuesday that suspected Boko Haram operatives carried out the attacks using improvised explosive devices and warned the public that additional suicide bombers may have been deployed into Maiduguri.

Operation HADIN KAI spokesman Lt. Col. Sani Uba said troops, alongside Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams and other agencies, secured and cordoned off all three blast sites and evacuated casualties to multiple medical facilities.

“Preliminary information further indicates that the terrorists may have deployed multiple suicide bombers into Maiduguri with the intention of carrying out coordinated suicide bombings at crowded locations,” Uba said.

He urged the public to avoid crowded areas where possible and report suspicious persons or unattended items to the nearest security agency.

Tinubu condemns attack, orders chiefs to Maiduguri

President Bola Tinubu, in a statement issued before his departure for a state visit to the United Kingdom, condemned the bombings and directed service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to take direct charge of the response.

“I have directed security chiefs to move to Maiduguri to take charge of the situation,” Tinubu said. He described the attacks as “final desperate and frantic attempts by criminals and terrorist elements to instill and spread fear,” adding that security forces would pursue and defeat all armed groups operating across the country.

Tinubu said he had approved additional equipment and operational support for security agencies at a meeting held the previous weekend. “There is no place in Nigeria where terrorists will find safety,” he said.

Atiku warns of eroding public trust

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said the resurgence of suicide bombings risked undermining public confidence in the government’s ability to protect citizens, comparing current conditions to the peak of Boko Haram’s campaign in 2014.

“Nigerians are not impressed with the government’s statements condemning terrorist attacks. They are more concerned about results,” Atiku said.

He called on the Tinubu administration to review its security strategies and cautioned against dismissing criticism of the security situation as politically motivated.

Northern leaders and opposition raise alarm

Northern States Governors’ Forum chairman and Gombe State Gov. Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya described the bombings as “heinous, barbaric, and a direct assault on innocent lives,” and pledged continued cooperation with federal security agencies.

Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South, speaking from Saudi Arabia where he was performing Umrah, called the attacks inhumane and called on President Tinubu to demonstrate urgency.

“If President Tinubu cannot visit Borno, he should send Vice President Kashim Shettima to really assure Nigerians that he cares about their plight,” Ndume said.

The African Democratic Congress condemned the bombings and criticized Tinubu for remaining abroad during the crisis, saying the protection of lives could not take second place to diplomatic engagements.