Several explosions struck the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Monday evening shortly after residents broke their Ramadan fast in attacks suspected to have involved improvised explosive devices targeting key locations in the city.
Residents said two explosions occurred inside Monday Market one of the city’s largest commercial centers with one blast taking place near a police truck at the main junction inside the market.
Witnesses also reported hearing powerful explosions in other areas including Bolo Road the Post Office district Gwange and near the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
Local sources including traders at the market confirmed that the two explosions occurred within Monday Market while information about the other reported blast locations is still being verified.
The number of casualties was not immediately clear though unconfirmed reports suggested that several people may have been killed or injured.
Security authorities urged residents and workers to avoid the market area and stay away from crowded places until further notice while investigations continue to determine the precise locations of the explosions and assess the extent of the damage.
The blasts came less than twenty four hours after security forces repelled a separate militant assault on the outskirts of the city.
Earlier troops had foiled an attack launched shortly after midnight against a military base in the Ajilari Cross area southwest of Maiduguri near the city’s international airport.
Residents reported heavy gunfire and several explosions lasting nearly an hour before troops succeeded in repelling the attackers.
Police later confirmed that the assault was successfully thwarted with no civilian or military casualties officially recorded though bodies believed to belong to the attackers were reportedly seen at the scene.
The incidents come amid growing concerns about renewed insurgent activity in Borno State and other parts of northeastern Nigeria where armed groups are believed to be attempting to reassert their presence through coordinated attacks on both security installations and civilian locations.
