An evening of prayer in Nigeria's turbulent northeast turned to terror and chaos after a powerful explosion ripped through a crowded mosque on Wednesday, killing at least five worshippers and wounding dozens more, according to police.
The blast struck at approximately 6 p.m. local time in the Gamboru market area of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Witnesses described a scene of panic and carnage as the explosion tore through the place of worship. Musa Yusha’u, a witness, reported seeing "many victims being taken away for medical treatment."
State police spokesperson Nahum Daso confirmed the casualty figures, stating five people died and 35 others were injured. In an official statement, Daso indicated that "preliminary investigations... suggest that the incident may have been a suicide bombing," citing the recovery of fragments of a suspected suicide vest and initial witness accounts. Police units were sweeping the area for any secondary explosive devices.
While no group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the city of Maiduguri has been the epicenter of a brutal armed insurgency for nearly two decades. The region is plagued by the violence of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), both of which have frequently employed suicide bombers in their campaigns.
The attack marks a jarring rupture in a period of relative calm for Maiduguri. Once a nightly battlefield, the city had not seen a major assault since 2021, with security gains pushing much of the active conflict into rural areas and neighboring countries. This explosion serves as a stark reminder of the persistent and adaptable threat posed by the insurgent groups, capable of striking at the heart of urban centers despite sustained military pressure.
The conflict in northeast Nigeria, which began in 2009, has resulted in a devastating human toll, killing an estimated 40,000 people and displacing about two million from their homes. Wednesday's attack underscores the fragile nature of the peace in the region and the ongoing vulnerability of civilians caught in the crosshairs of a protracted war.
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