Multiple bomb explosions struck Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Monday evening, causing significant casualties and throwing the city into panic. The coordinated attacks, reportedly carried out by suspected suicide bombers or believed to be caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by suspected ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists, targeted crowded areas including the Post Office Flyover, the Monday Market axis, and the entrance of the University Teaching Hospital (UMTH). Occurring between 7:00 PM and 7:24 PM, the blasts tragically coincided with Iftar, the evening meal during the holy month of Ramadan, which heightened civilian vulnerability.

The Borno State Police Command confirmed a devastating toll of 23 fatalities and 108 injuries. Victims, some sustaining severe injuries beyond recognition, were swiftly evacuated to medical facilities such as the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri Specialist Hospital, and Umaru Shehu Hospital for urgent treatment. In the immediate aftermath, families of residents who had been in the affected locations began a frantic search for their loved ones. The police spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, urged families who had not found their relatives to report to the nearest police station or their ward heads (Bulamas) to assist in the identification process and tracking of missing persons, highlighting the collaboration with community leaders to support affected families.

Security agencies, including the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit Base 13 Maiduguri, military personnel, and the Civilian Joint Task Force, were swiftly deployed to secure and cordon off the blast sites. Thorough sweep operations were conducted to rule out any additional threats and ensure public safety. Emergency responders from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (BOSEMA) played a crucial role in the evacuation of victims and providing initial aid. This incident adds to a series of attacks targeting civilians in the state, despite ongoing efforts by security forces to curb insurgency in the region.

The attacks drew widespread condemnation from various political figures and parties. Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, currently in Saudi Arabia for the Lesser Hajj, condemned the incident as a "despicable, cruel and cowardly" act against innocent civilians. In a statement, he described the act as "utterly condemnable, barbaric, and inhumane" and attributed the recent surge in attacks to intensified military operations against insurgents in the Sambisa Forest and other hideouts. Governor Zulum assured residents that security agencies were on top of the situation and that adequate measures were being taken to prevent further security breaches.

President Bola Tinubu also reacted strongly to the bombings, describing them as "desperate acts of evil-minded terrorist groups" and the "final desperate and frantic attempts" by insurgents under sustained military pressure. He ordered Nigeria’s service chiefs to immediately relocate to Maiduguri to take charge of operations on the ground, while also instructing emergency agencies to ensure proper medical care for the injured. President Tinubu expressed profound condolences to the victims and their families, reiterating his administration’s unwavering resolve to confront and decisively defeat terrorism across the country, affirming that "Nigeria will not succumb to fear." He also noted the recent approval of additional military equipment and operational support, and commended troops for repelling attacks on military positions.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, condemned the bombings as "heinous, condemnable, and unfortunate." He expressed sympathy for the victims and lamented the terrorists' persistence in unleashing violence, especially during Ramadan, asserting that such acts demonstrate opposition to both Islam and humanity. The Speaker called for renewed and coordinated efforts to tackle terrorism, banditry, and other forms of insecurity nationwide.

Political opposition parties also voiced their concerns and criticisms. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) condemned the attacks, expressing sympathy but also raising "serious questions about the state of security in our country." The party warned against a relapse into heightened insecurity and criticized the nation’s leadership, noting President Tinubu’s absence from the country (reportedly in the UK for a meeting with the King and Queen, while some reports mentioned Governor Zulum being in Saudi Arabia for the Lesser Hajj). The ADC alleged politicization of security institutions, with officials focusing on political matters instead of security. They called for an immediate and transparent security review, a clear briefing to Nigerians, urgent medical care for victims, and adequate support and compensation for affected families.

Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) blamed President Bola Tinubu for the bombings, describing them as further "incontrovertible evidence of the inability of the APC-led federal government to curb the growing insecurity in the country." The PDP criticized the administration for the escalation of insecurity despite earlier assurances and accused it of prioritizing "political genocide" against the opposition over national security. The party urged the federal government to move beyond rhetoric and engage strategic stakeholders, especially community leaders, as part of a comprehensive, whole-of-society approach to combating insecurity. Both parties highlighted the unacceptable scale of insecurity, with thousands of Nigerians reportedly killed in violent attacks across the country already in the third month of the year.