At least 23 people have been killed and 108 injured by a series of suspected suicide bombings in Maiduguri, marking one of the worst recent attacks on the capital of Borno state.
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, police in the north-eastern state say.
The sites, which are among the city's busiest locations, had drawn large crowds after the day's Ramadan fast was broken.
Nigeria's military has blamed the attack on militants from the notorious Boko Haram group, which originated in Maiduguri and began its insurgency in 2009.
However, the state capital 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 is underway to establish the identity of the attackers.
Residents recounted the panic following the blasts, with one witness, Modu Bukar, describing a scene of chaos as people screamed and fled.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attacks in a statement on Tuesday, labelling them 'profoundly upsetting' and the 'desperate acts of the evil-minded terrorist groups'. He has instructed security chiefs to move to Maiduguri to take charge of the situation.
Just hours before the bombings, security forces repelled an overnight attack by suspected Islamist fighters on a military post on the outskirts of Maiduguri. Following the bombings, officials warned that the threat of further violence remains, even as emergency and security agencies work to reinforce safety across the city.
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, police in the north-eastern state say.
The sites, which are among the city's busiest locations, had drawn large crowds after the day's Ramadan fast was broken.
Nigeria's military has blamed the attack on militants from the notorious Boko Haram group, which originated in Maiduguri and began its insurgency in 2009.
However, the state capital 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 is underway to establish the identity of the attackers.
Residents recounted the panic following the blasts, with one witness, Modu Bukar, describing a scene of chaos as people screamed and fled.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attacks in a statement on Tuesday, labelling them 'profoundly upsetting' and the 'desperate acts of the evil-minded terrorist groups'. He has instructed security chiefs to move to Maiduguri to take charge of the situation.
Just hours before the bombings, security forces repelled an overnight attack by suspected Islamist fighters on a military post on the outskirts of Maiduguri. Following the bombings, officials warned that the threat of further violence remains, even as emergency and security agencies work to reinforce safety across the city.
