Key Points
- Suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers hit three crowded Maiduguri sites Monday, killing 23 people and injuring 108.
- Opposition parties and lawmakers demand Tinubu abandon his UK state visit and return to address the security crisis.
- Peter Obi, Senator Ndume, and the Northern Governors’ Forum call the attacks evidence of worsening national insecurity.
Maiduguri bombings kill 23, injure 108 as opposition demands Tinubu cut UK visit short
Suspected Boko Haram operatives carried out coordinated suicide bombings across Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, Monday evening, killing 23 people and injuring 108 others in the deadliest attack on the city in recent months.
The Borno State Police Command confirmed the death and injury figures in a statement by Police Public Relations Officer Kenneth Daso, who said the blasts occurred around 7:24 p.m.
The attackers struck three crowded locations: Monday Market, the main gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office Flyover.
Sources within the city said the actual death toll could be higher, with some of the injured dying while receiving treatment at area hospitals.
Military and police deploy to secure the city
A joint team of police tactical units, the military, and other security agencies responded immediately after the blasts, deploying to secure all three affected areas. The Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit conducted sweeps to eliminate the risk of additional devices.
The Headquarters Joint Task Force for the North East, Operation HADIN KAI, described the attacks as a deliberate attempt to inflict mass casualties and destabilize the region. Lt. Col. Sani Uba said troops worked alongside police EOD teams and other agencies to secure the locations and support rescue efforts.
Opposition turns fire on Tinubu over UK visit
The attacks drew immediate condemnation from opposition leaders, who directed sharp criticism at President Bola Tinubu, who was in the United Kingdom on a state visit at the time of the explosions.
The Peoples Democratic Party said the bombings exposed the federal government’s failure to curb growing insecurity.
National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong said the APC-led administration had devoted more attention to political opponents than to the security of Nigerians, adding that the country was safer in 2015 than it is today.
The African Democratic Congress went further, calling on Tinubu to return to Nigeria immediately.
The party said it was troubling that the president remained abroad during a major security breach, and accused his national security apparatus of prioritizing political matters over public safety.
Peter Obi, Ndume, northern governors weigh in
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi described the attacks as a grim reflection of worsening insecurity nationwide, linking the Maiduguri bombings to a pattern of violence affecting Kwara, Nasarawa, Kogi, Plateau, Sokoto, and Benue states, as well as parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South, urged Tinubu to shift focus away from 2027 political calculations and prioritize lives.
He called for stronger intelligence gathering and demanded the arrest of those behind the bombings.
“If President Tinubu cannot visit Borno, he should send Vice President Kashim Shettima to assure Nigerians that he cares,” Ndume said.
The Northern States Governors’ Forum, chaired by Gombe State Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, condemned the attacks as “heinous and barbaric,” extending condolences to Borno families and calling for swift justice.
The forum urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies, while reaffirming northern governors’ commitment to working with the federal government to combat terrorism.
