No fewer than five worshippers were k!lled, while 35 others sustained injuries following an Improvised explosive device (IED) attack by a suicide bomber at a mosque in Gamboru area of Maiduguri, Borno State.
The spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, who confirmed the development in a statement on Thursday, said the injured victims were immediately evacuated to hospitals for medical treatment.
He added that men of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, alongside other security agencies, were deployed to the scene to secure the area, cordon off the vicinity and conduct thorough checks to rule out the presence of secondary explosive devices.
“Following a report of an IED explosion received today, 24th December 2025, at about 1800hrs, at Al-Adum Juma’at Mosque, located within Gamboru Market, Maiduguri, during prayers, the Borno State Police Command, under the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid psc, immediately activated a Rescue/Joint Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and other relevant security and emergency response agencies. The affected area has been cordoned off to ensure public safety and facilitate emergency operations,” the statement read.
“Preliminary reports indicate that five (5) persons lost their lives, while thirty-five (35) others sustained varying degrees of injuries and have been evacuated to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) and the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, for medical treatment.
“Preliminary investigations further suggest that the incident may have been a suicide bombing, based on the recovery of fragments of a suspected suicide vest and witness statements recorded, while investigations are ongoing to establish the exact cause and circumstances.
“The Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit is conducting thorough sweeping operations within and around the scene to rule out any secondary devices.
“Further updates will be communicated as investigations progress.
