A DEVASTATING bomb blast struck a mosque in the Gamboru Market area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, Wednesday evening, leaving scores of worshippers feared dead and many others injured.
The explosion occurred at the Gambarou Jumu’at Mosque during the Maghrib congregational prayer.
Reports noted that survivors said the attacker sneaked into the mosque and detonated the explosive as worshippers were observing the first raka’at of the prayer.
“The bomber detonated when the first raka’at of the Maghrib prayer was observed. Many worshippers died, others sustained various injuries,” Daily Trust quoted an eyewitness to have said.
As of the time of filing this report, the exact number of casualties and those injured from the attack remained unconfirmed.
However, reports indicated that the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention.
Security operatives have cordoned off the area, while emergency responders continue rescue and evacuation efforts.
HumAngle, which said its reporter was on the ground in the community, also confirmed the blast.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the police were unsuccessful, as the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer did not pick calls placed to his phone and had yet to respond to text messages sent as of the time of filing this report.
The latest attack adds to a long list of violent incidents linked to insurgency in Borno State. In June 2025, at least 10 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive at a local food joint in Konduga Local Government Area.
The Borno State Police Command confirmed that the explosion occurred around 10 p.m., with several others sustaining injuries. Police said Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts, alongside the military and other security agencies, were deployed to restore order and investigate the attack.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M