At least seven worshippers have been killed after an explosion struck a mosque in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Wednesday.
Gatekeepers News reports that the blast occurred inside a mosque located in the Gamboru market area while Muslim faithful were observing evening prayers.
Residents said the mosque was crowded at the time of the incident, which caused panic in the area.
An anti-jihadist militia leader, Babakura Kolo, said the incident was suspected to be a bombing, noting that the device was believed to have been planted inside the mosque and detonated during prayers.
He put the death toll at seven. However, a mosque leader, Malam Abuna Yusuf, said eight people were killed. Official authorities have yet to release a confirmed casualty figure.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. Some eyewitnesses suggested the explosion may have involved a suicide bomber, though this has not been independently confirmed.
A witness, Isa Musa Yusha’u, told AFP, “I saw many victims being taken away for medical treatment.” The number of injured persons remains unclear.
Following the incident, a security alert circulated by an international humanitarian organisation warned its staff in Maiduguri to avoid the Gamboru market area.
Maiduguri has long been at the centre of Nigeria’s fight against jihadist groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Although the city has remained relatively calm in recent years, with the last major attack recorded in 2021, the wider region continues to face security threats.
