Daijiworld Media Network - Maiduguri

Maiduguri, Dec 25: At least seven worshippers were killed after an explosion tore through a crowded mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state, on Wednesday evening, witnesses and security sources said.

The blast occurred inside a mosque located in the Gamboru market area around 6 pm local time, as Muslim faithful had gathered for evening prayers. While no group has claimed responsibility so far, local anti-jihadist militia leader Babakura Kolo said the incident was suspected to be a bombing.

Police spokesman Nahum Daso confirmed that an explosion had taken place and said an explosive ordnance disposal team was deployed at the site. Kolo said seven people were killed, while a mosque leader, Malam Abuna Yusuf, claimed the death toll was eight. Authorities are yet to release an official casualty figure.

According to Kolo, the explosive device was likely planted inside the mosque and detonated midway through prayers, though some witnesses suggested it may have been a suicide bombing. The number of injured remained unclear, but witnesses reported several victims being rushed for medical treatment.

Videos from the scene showed bloodied victims lying on the ground and bodies covered with sheets, highlighting the severity of the attack. Following the blast, an international NGO operating in Maiduguri issued a security alert advising its staff to avoid the Gamboru market area.

Maiduguri has long been at the heart of Nigeria’s jihadist insurgency led by Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province. While the city itself has not witnessed a major attack in recent years, the wider region continues to face sporadic violence.

Nigeria has been battling a jihadist insurgency since 2009, a conflict that has claimed at least 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people in the northeast, according to the United Nations. Although violence has declined from its peak, analysts have warned of a resurgence in attacks this year, underscoring the fragile security situation in the region.