Tinubu Orders Security Chiefs to Maiduguri After Suicide Attacks Kill 23
President Bola Tinubu has directed Nigeria's service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri following multiple suicide bombings that killed at least 23 people and injured over 100, as the military warns of additional threats.
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President Bola Tinubu has ordered Nigeria's security chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri, Borno State, following coordinated suicide bomb attacks that killed at least 23 people and injured more than 100 on Monday evening. The directive comes as the Nigerian Army warned residents of potential additional suicide bombers in the city.
Multiple blasts struck some of Maiduguri's busiest locations simultaneously on Monday, according to the BBC. Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum condemned the attacks as "cruel and cowardly," while the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors called for urgent measures to safeguard healthcare facilities treating the wounded.
The president vowed that his administration would "completely defeat terrorists causing mayhem across Nigeria," according to a statement reported by the Peoples Gazette. Tinubu directed service chiefs to "take charge of the security situation" in the region, according to Daily Trust, intensifying government efforts against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants operating in the northeast.
The Nigerian Army issued a fresh alert warning of "multiple suicide bombers in Maiduguri," advising residents to avoid crowded places amid heightened security threats, Daily Trust reported. Healthcare workers told Vanguard News that a critical shortage of blood donors, particularly for A blood group, was threatening the survival of blast victims.
One victim, Abacha Mustapha, recounted to Daily Trust from his hospital bed: "I heard a loud sound and my neck started bleeding." He said he was preparing to leave the market after the day's activities when the blast occurred.
The attacks come amid a broader pattern of insurgent activity across northern Nigeria. In Kaduna State, terrorists threatened to kill 32 abducted villagers unless a ₦30 million ransom and four motorcycles are delivered, according to Vanguard News. Security analyst Lekan Olayiwola told Legit.ng that militants are testing state responses through simultaneous attacks across multiple towns in Borno.
The Lake Chad Basin region, which includes northeastern Nigeria, has experienced persistent insurgency since Boko Haram launched its campaign in 2009. The conflict has displaced millions and killed tens of thousands across Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger.