Police authorities in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, have confirmed that 23 people were killed and 108 others injured following three bomb explosions on Monday night.

The Command’s spokesperson, Mr. Nahum Kenneth-Daso, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, adding that normalcy had since been restored in the city.

“Following the devastating suspected suicide IED explosions that occurred at about 19:24hrs on 16 March 2026 at (1) Maiduguri Monday Market, (2) University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) gate, and (3) Post Office Flyover area, Maiduguri,” Kenneth-Daso said.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers. Regrettably, a total of twenty-three (23) persons lost their lives, while one hundred and eight (108) others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”

He explained that a combined team of police tactical units, the military, and other joint security operatives was swiftly deployed to the affected locations.

The scenes were immediately secured, cordoned off, and thoroughly swept by the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit, Base 13, Maiduguri, to eliminate any additional threats.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, visited the affected locations to conduct an on-the-spot assessment and evaluate ongoing response efforts. He commiserated with victims and their families, while assuring the public of the Command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property.

“Victims were promptly evacuated by emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), to medical facilities where they are currently receiving treatment,” Kenneth-Daso added.

Meanwhile, joint security operatives have intensified surveillance and patrols across Maiduguri and its environs to forestall further attacks.

The renewed violence has disrupted a year-long period of relative calm in the city, as Nigeria’s long-running insurgency had largely been pushed to rural areas.

Fighters from Boko Haram and the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have recently escalated attacks in north-eastern Nigeria. Their 16-year insurgency, aimed at establishing a caliphate, has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced about two million.

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, described the bombings as “barbaric”, noting that the recent surge in attacks was linked to intensified military operations in the Sambisa Forest, a known insurgent stronghold.

The last major attack in Maiduguri occurred in 2021, when Boko Haram militants fired mortars into the city, killing 10 people. In December, a suspected suicide bombing at a mosque claimed at least seven lives.

In the surrounding countryside, violence has persisted. Last week, the army confirmed coordinated attacks on several military bases in the North-East, which left at least 14 people dead, including 10 soldiers, according to local and military sources.

Last month, the United States began deploying troops to Nigeria to provide technical and training support to the country’s armed forces. The US Africa Command said about 200 personnel would be involved.

The deployment followed remarks by US President, Mr. Donald Trump, who described the violence in Nigeria as the “persecution” of Christians — a characterisation rejected by the Federal Government and independent analysts, who maintain that both Christians and Muslims are victims of the conflict.