Deadly blasts at market and hospital raise fears of renewed Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria

Nigeria termination bombings killed astatine slightest 23 group and wounded much than 100 others successful Maiduguri, officials said Tuesday, arsenic a Christian nonprofit leader warned nan unit highlights ongoing religious persecution.

The Associated Press reported that 1 of nan deadliest attacks connected Maiduguri successful caller history progressive explosions successful crowded areas connected Monday night, including a major marketplace successful nan capital of Borno authorities and nan entranceway to nan University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

Borno constabulary spokesperson Nahum Kenneth Daso said successful a connection that nan wounded "sustained varying degrees of injuries," blaming nan attacks connected suspected termination bombers.

President Bola Tinubu, who departed Nigeria connected Tuesday for a two-day authorities sojourn to nan United Kingdom, offered condolences to nan victims and instructed information chiefs to "take complaint of nan situation" successful Maiduguri.

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A wide position of an armored constabulary conveyance astatine a marketplace successful Maiduguri connected March 17, 2026, a time aft blasts successful nan city. Coordinated blasts by suspected termination bombers tore done a engaged marketplace and different areas successful nan Nigerian metropolis of Maiduguri, sidesplitting astatine slightest 23 group and wounding much than 100 others, successful 1 of nan worst caller attacks connected nan superior of Borno state. Three blasts detonated connected nan evening of March 16, 2026, conscionable aft group successful nan Muslim-majority metropolis collapsed their Ramadan fasts, striking a main market, nan entranceway of Maiduguri's largest school infirmary and a station office.  (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)

"The Monday attacks were hopeless acts of nan evil-minded terrorist groups," Tinubu said. "Our gallant subject and civilian task forces will curtail and put them down."

While nary group has claimed responsibility, nan AP reported suspicion has fallen connected nan Boko Haram jihadi group, which launched an insurgency successful northeastern Nigeria successful 2009 to enforce its extremist mentation of Shariah law.

Since launching its insurgency, Boko Haram has grown stronger, pinch thousands of fighters and aggregate factions, immoderate aligned pinch nan Islamic State group.

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Funeral for Boko Haram victims successful Yobe, Nigeria (Stringer/Reuters)

The explosions connected Monday nighttime began astatine astir 7:30 p.m. astatine nan entranceway of nan school hospital. A fewer minutes later, a 2nd and 3rd blast followed astatine nan Monday Market and a adjacent station agency hub, some astir 2.5 miles from nan hospital.

Caleb Jonah, who survived nan explosion astatine nan infirmary entrance, told nan AP he suffered injuries to his legs and hands.

"I was coming to nan infirmary to cheque (in on) a diligent erstwhile I saw 2 men struggling pinch nan information men astatine nan gate," Jonah said. "Before I could process what was going connected I heard nan deafening blast and I passed out."

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Nigerian soldiers thrust astir successful pick-ups during training astatine a subject guidelines successful Borno state, Nigeria, connected July 5, 2025.   (Joris Bolomey/AFP via Getty Images)

Brad Brandon, CEO and laminitis of Across Nigeria, said nan onslaught was personal. His statement is committed to transforming Nigeria and nan surrounding regions by sharing nan emotion of God done Jesus Christ, according to nan group’s website.

"As nan CEO and laminitis of Across Nigeria, these caller attacks successful Maiduguri are individual and a stark reminder that nan devastating unit continues successful bluish Nigeria," he said successful a statement. "This is nan consequence of extremist Islamic groups that are allowed to run unchecked. The only mobility is, really galore much must beryllium killed, earlier nan world wakes up to nan genocide that slaughters thousands of Christians each year."

"We condemn these convulsive acts and nan perpetrators who perpetrate them," he added. "We besides telephone connected nan U.S. Government to intervene and nan media to clasp their domiciled successful bringing ray to nan hidden things of darkness."

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While Maiduguri has been astatine nan halfway of deadly unit successful Nigeria, it has knowledgeable comparative bid successful caller years, moreover arsenic extremists batter nan countryside.

Monday’s onslaught took spot little than 24 hours aft nan Nigerian subject repelled attacks by militants extracurricular Maiduguri.

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By Tuesday morning, dense information had been deployed to nan affected locations and on awesome roads.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.