Key Points

• Borno Governor Babagana Zulum warned that two of five Boko Haram suicide bombers who infiltrated Maiduguri remain at large, with attacks expected during the Sallah period
• Security forces are actively tracking the remaining bombers while conducting air and land strikes on Boko Haram camps in Sambisa and Konduga
• Zulum urged Maiduguri’s roughly 4 to 5 million residents to restrict movement and remain vigilant during the holiday period

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum warned Friday that two suicide bombers dispatched by Boko Haram remain at large in Maiduguri and are likely to strike during the Sallah period, urging residents of the northeastern city to limit their movements and stay alert.

Zulum, speaking to the BBC Hausa Service, said five suicide bombers had recently slipped out of Boko Haram camps and entered Maiduguri with orders to carry out attacks.

Three have already detonated explosives, causing casualties. The remaining two are still unaccounted for.

“Don’t be surprised if it happens; we are anticipating it,” Zulum said.

Attacks designed to distract military operations

The governor described the bombings as a deliberate tactic by Boko Haram insurgents to draw attention away from ongoing Nigerian military operations at the group’s bases in Sambisa Forest, Konduga and surrounding areas.

“These bitter actions of the insurgents are a fallout of the firepower of the Nigerian security forces that was unleashed on them at their various bases,” he said, adding that the government remained committed to eliminating the insurgency.

Security forces are actively searching for the remaining two bombers ahead of the holiday. Zulum said the attacks tend to concentrate on crowded locations to maximize casualties, complicating efforts to secure the city’s estimated 4 to 5 million residents.

Governor credits Tinubu’s funding, defends president’s absence

Zulum commended President Bola Tinubu for releasing funds running into millions of dollars for the military and the Civilian Joint Task Force, crediting the financial support as critical to sustaining combat operations against Boko Haram.

He also pushed back against criticism of Tinubu for not visiting Borno during the recent crisis. “He had directed the service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to support the fight,” Zulum said. “I am sure he will visit when the time is right for him.”

The governor expressed confidence that security forces would intercept the remaining bombers before they could act, while acknowledging the limits of what authorities could enforce across a city of millions during a major religious holiday.