THE Borno State Police Command has confirmed an explosion in Maiduguri, the state capital.
In a statement by the police spokesperson, Nahum Keneth, on Monday , March 16, the command said the explosions were reported around 7:20 p.m. near Monday Market and the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
“Following reports of a suspected explosion at Maiduguri Monday Market and UMTH gate at about 7:20pm, joint security operatives and emergency responders have been deployed. Police EOD Unit, Base 13 Maiduguri, is on ground,” the statement read.
The command advised residents to remain calm and avoid the affected areas while security operatives conduct assessments.
Daily Trust reported how residents were thrown into panic after hearing multiple loud explosions across the city shortly after Muslims broke their fast around 7 p.m.
The affected areas were reported to include the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Monday Market Roundabout and Elkanemi.
The report noted that the improvised explosive devices might have been planted by fighters linked to Boko Haram, although authorities have yet to officially confirm the cause of the explosions.
The incident occurred hours after suspected terrorists attacked a military location in Ajilari, an outskirt of Maiduguri, where they engaged the Nigeria military in a gun duel before retreating into the bush.
The latest explosions come amid a renewed wave of attacks by insurgent groups in Borno State and the wider North-East.
In recent weeks, fighters linked to Boko Haram and its splinter faction, Islamic State West Africa Province, have intensified assaults on military formations and communities across the region.
The attacks have targeted army bases, checkpoints and remote settlements, raising fresh concerns about the security situation in the state
Earlier this month, insurgents reportedly carried out coordinated raids on several military bases in the North-East, killing dozens of soldiers and carting away weapons and military hardware after briefly overrunning some positions.
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