The police command in Borno says five worshippers were killed and 35 others injured after a suicide bomber inside detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) inside a mosque at Gamborun Market in Maiduguri, the state capital.
Nahum Daso, police spokesperson in Borno, who confirmed the casualty figures, said the injured victims were immediately evacuated to hospitals in Maiduguri 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.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the incident occurred at about 6:15 p.m. during Magrib prayers when the attacker detonated the IED inside the mosque, which was filled with worshippers.
The publication noted that the explosion caused traders and residents to flee the area as thick smoke billowed from the mosque, while some rushed to assist victims before emergency responders arrived.
It said security operatives later cordoned off the area to prevent further casualties and enable an initial assessment of the incident.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to confirm the exact number of casualties.
Attacks on mosques in Borno have been on the rise in Borno state.
In 2024, at least 22 people were killed after two female suicide bombers struck a mosque in Ummarari village near Molai, on the outskirts of the Borno state capital.
In 2019, suspected Boko Haram insurgents carried out an attack inside a mosque in Maiduguri, killing 11 people.
