At Least 23 Dead and Over 100 Injured After Suicide Bombings

A wave of terror ripped through northeastern Nigeria Monday night, leaving at least 23 people dead and more than 100 wounded in what officials are calling a coordinated suicide bombing attack.

The explosions struck the city of Maiduguri, a longtime stronghold in Nigeria’s war against Islamist extremists. The timing and scale have raised fresh alarms about the resurgence of jihadist violence — an issue now back in the global spotlight as President Donald Trump pushes a renewed hardline stance on terrorism in 2026.

The first blast hit just after 7:30 p.m. outside the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Within minutes, two more explosions tore through a crowded Monday Market and a nearby business district.

Panic spread instantly.

Witnesses described scenes of devastation — bodies scattered, survivors screaming, and emergency crews scrambling to respond.

“People were running in every direction. There was blood everywhere,” said one local resident who helped carry victims to safety.

Borno State police confirmed the scale of the attack.

“Regrettably, a total of 23 persons lost their lives, while 108 others sustained varying degrees of injuries,” said police spokesperson Nahum Kenneth Daso. “We strongly suspect suicide bombers were responsible.”

No group has officially claimed responsibility. But officials and security experts quickly pointed to Boko Haram — the Islamist terror organization that has terrorized the region for over a decade.

Founded in 2009, Boko Haram has waged a brutal insurgency aimed at imposing strict Sharia law. The group has since splintered, with factions aligning themselves with ISIS under the Islamic State West Africa Province.

Despite years of military pressure, the group has shown signs of renewed strength.

In recent weeks, militants have launched aggressive assaults on Nigerian military bases, killing officers and seizing weapons.

“This was not random,” said Mohammed Hassan, a volunteer assisting security forces. “This was coordinated. And it’s one of the deadliest attacks we’ve seen here in years. Hospitals are overwhelmed. We urgently need blood.”

The bombings came less than 24 hours after Nigerian forces reportedly repelled militant attacks on the outskirts of Maiduguri — leading some residents to believe the earlier assault may have been a diversion.

By Tuesday morning, heavily armed security forces flooded the city. Roads were locked down. Businesses shuttered. Fear lingered in the air.

“Maiduguri being attacked is symbolic,” said security analyst Malik Samuel. “It sends a message that nowhere is truly safe.”

That message is reverberating far beyond Nigeria.

The attack underscores growing concerns among U.S. and Western officials about the resurgence of Islamist extremism across Africa and the Middle East.

Under President Trump’s current administration, counterterrorism has once again become a top national security priority, with renewed calls for aggressive international coordination and military readiness.

While the White House has not yet issued a formal response to the Maiduguri attack, officials have repeatedly warned that groups like Boko Haram and ISIS affiliates remain a “persistent and evolving threat.”

For residents of Maiduguri, the violence feels like a grim return to the past.

The city had experienced a period of relative calm in recent years, even as rural areas remained under constant threat.

Now, that sense of security has been shattered.

“This city was supposed to be safe,” one resident said quietly outside a hospital filled with victims. “Now we don’t know what comes next.”

Authorities say investigations are ongoing, and a manhunt is underway for those responsible.

But for many, the damage is already done — and the fear is back.