Daijiworld Media Network - Borno (Nigeria)

Borno (Nigeria), Dec 25: A deadly explosion struck a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state in northeastern Nigeria, during evening prayers on Wednesday, killing at least ten worshippers, local media reported. The blast has reignited fears of renewed militant activity in a region long affected by insurgency.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Militia leader Babakura Kolo described it as a suspected bombing, noting that Maiduguri has previously been targeted by militants using suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices in mosques and crowded public areas.

Eyewitnesses said the explosion occurred inside a mosque in the Gamboru Market area, where Muslims were attending evening prayers. Panic ensued as worshippers scrambled amid debris and smoke. Preliminary assessments suggest the explosive device may have been planted inside the mosque, though some witnesses speculated it could have been a suicide bombing. Authorities have not confirmed the cause.

Maiduguri, the epicenter of Boko Haram’s insurgency, has largely avoided major attacks in recent years, making this incident especially alarming for residents and security agencies. Boko Haram, along with its offshoot the Islamic State West Africa Province, has been waging an insurgency in the region since 2009 with the aim of establishing an Islamic caliphate.

Despite years of Nigerian military operations and regional cooperation with neighbouring countries, sporadic attacks continue to threaten civilians. The insurgency has claimed at least 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people in northeastern Nigeria, according to United Nations estimates.

While the intensity of attacks has declined since the peak of the conflict, violence has spread into Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, complicating regional security efforts. This latest bombing has heightened concerns over a possible resurgence of militant activity in parts of northeastern Nigeria.