An explosion ripped through a mosque in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing at least seven worshippers on Wednesday.
On December 24, 2025, an explosion tore through the Gamboru mosque in Maiduguri's Gamboru market, the capital of Nigeria's Borno State. Witnesses and security sources reported at least seven worshippers killed during evening prayers, with no immediate claim of responsibility from armed groups. Anti-jihadist militia leader Babakura Kolo described it as a suspected bombing, possibly with the device placed inside the mosque midway through prayers, while some witnesses pointed to a suicide attack.
Mosque leader Malam Abuna Yusuf put the death toll at eight, though Kolo confirmed seven fatalities. The number of injured remains unclear, but witness Isa Musa Yusha’u told AFP: “I saw many victims being taken away for medical treatment.” Videos verified by AFP showed a bloodied person on the ground and bodies covered by sheets. An international NGO issued a security alert advising staff to avoid the Gamboru market area.
Maiduguri has been the epicentre of a jihadist insurgency by Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, since 2009—a conflict that has killed at least 40,000 people and displaced around two million in the northeast, according to the United Nations. While violence has declined from its peak a decade ago, concerns are mounting over a potential resurgence, with the city spared a major attack since 2021. Military operations continue in the region, and checkpoints remain a daily fixture amid bustling markets.
