In brief
On March 17, 2026, Maiduguri experienced one of its deadliest days as suspected suicide bombers targeted a post office, a bustling weekly market, and a university hospital, killing at least 23 people and injuring more than 108. These incidents occurred right after iftar, the meal breaking the Ramadan fast, and have sparked fears of renewed violence in a city previously deemed to be stabilizing after years of Boko Haram insurgency. Authorities are investigating the attacks, which have shaken a community that had just begun to feel safe again.
At least 23 people have been killed and 108 injured in a series of suspected suicide bombings in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria's north-eastern Borno state, police say.
A post office, a popular weekly market and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital were hit within minutes of each other at around 19:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on Monday.
The sites, which are among the city's busiest locations, had drawn large crowds after the day's Ramadan fast was broken.
Monday's explosions represent one of the deadliest attacks Maiduguri had witnessed in years. The city was once the epicentre of an insurgency by militant Islamist group Boko Haram. However, it had been enjoying a relatively stable period after intensified military operations had pushed armed groups into remote border areas.
Preliminary investigation reveals that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers, Borno police stated, adding that an investigation was under way to establish the identity of the attackers.
Modu Bukar, a resident who witnessed the market blast and helped take victims to hospital, told the AFP news agency: We were sitting when we suddenly heard a loud explosion. Everyone immediately started running in fear. As we ran, people kept shouting that we should keep going.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack on Tuesday, stating that Nigeria will not succumb to fear and vowed to locate and confront the perpetrators.
Security forces had just repelled an overnight attack by suspected Islamist fighters near Maiduguri before the bombings occurred, indicating a concerning trend of violence resurfacing in the region.
The scale and location of Monday's attacks deeply alarmed residents who had cautiously begun to believe that the worst years of Boko Haram's insurgency were over. Officials now warn that the threat of further violence remains despite ongoing safety reinforcements throughout the city.
