The Borno State Police Command has confirmed that 23 persons were k!lled and 108 others injured following multiple explosions that rocked Maiduguri, in what authorities described as coordinated su!cide @ttacks.
The incidents which occurred at about 7:24 p.m., on Monday, March 16, 2026, targeted crowded and strategic locations within the metropolis, including the Maiduguri Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office Flyover, Maiduguri.
According to a statement issued by the spokesperson for the command, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, preliminary investigations revealed that the explosions were carried out by suspected su!cide b0mbers using improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
In response, a combined team of Police Tactical Units, military personnel and other joint security operatives were immediately deployed to the affected areas.
The scenes were swiftly secured and cordoned off, while the Expl0sive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit conducted detailed sweep operations to rule out the presence of additional expl0sive devices.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency and the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, worked in coordination with medical teams to evacuate victims to hospitals, where they are currently receiving treatment.
“Following the devastating suspected suicide IED explosions that occurred at about 1924HRS on 16th March, 2026, at (1.) Maiduguri Monday Market, (2.) University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) gate, and (3.) Post Office Flyover area, Maiduguri,” the statement read.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the incidents were carried out by suspected su!cide b0mbers.
“Regrettably, a total of twenty three (23) persons lost their lives, while one hundred and eight (108) others sustained varying degrees of !njuries.
“Following the incidents, a combined team of Police Tactical Units, the Military, and other Joint Security Operatives were swiftly deployed to the affected areas.
“The scenes were immediately secured, cordoned off, and subjected to thorough sweep operations by Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit Base 13 Maiduguri to rule out the presence of any additional threats.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, psc, visited the affected locations to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and to evaluate ongoing response efforts.
“He commiserated with victims and their families, while assuring the public of the Command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property.
“Victims were promptly evacuated by emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), to medical facilities where they are currently receiving treatment.
“Borno State Police Command wishes to state that normalcy has been fully restored in the affected areas.
“Meanwhile, joint security operatives have heightened security presence and surveillance across Maiduguri and its environs to prevent any further occurrences.
“Investigations are ongoing to further ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incidents and to bring perpetrators to justice.
“The Borno State Police Command urges members of the public to remain calm, vigilant, and to promptly report any suspicious movements or objects to the nearest security agency.
“The Command appreciates the cooperation and resilience of residents and reassures all of its commitment to maintaining peace and security in the State.”
The Kugbo Bus Terminal, inaugurated last June by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has been destroyed.
It was learnt that the terminal’s roof, which has not been used, was blown down by the heavy rain.
According to Daily Trust, the debris spread to the major road, further compounding traffic chaos and causing heavy gridlock along the Nyanya–Keffi Expressway in Abuja as workers were returning home.
In other news, Wike has ordered the immediate arrest of the owner of a hotel whose multi-story building collapsed last Friday in Jikwoyi, Abuja.
It was reports that he also directed that the land be seized and repurposed for public use.
During a visit to the site on Monday, Wike revealed that the building had been constructed without approval from the FCT Department of Development Control.
He said the developer ignored repeated stop-work notices issued by the authorities, which led to the collapse.
No deaths were reported, but some people suffered injuries and were treated in hospitals.
Wike noted that the situation could have been worse if the collapse had occurred at a busier time.
The minister stated that the FCT Administration would reclaim the land for public projects.
He added that authorities would prosecute anyone involved in the illegal construction.
He also mentioned that the local community would be consulted to decide what public-use project should be built on the site.
Wike called on all developers to follow building regulations and obtain the necessary approvals before starting any project.
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafiu Bala, has stated that former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has no moral right to advise him.
Speaking in a statement on Tuesday, Bala also refuted claims by Kwankwaso about his age, stressing that he is 46, not 35.
While advising the former presidential candidate to do proper research before making comments, Bala advised Kwankwaso to stop attempting to infiltrate the ADC through the back door.
He further described Kwankwaso as a mole of the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that it is time for politicians like him to give way for the younger generation to lead.
“Even if I were young, Kwankwaso has no right to look down on me,” Bala said.
He reminded Kwankwaso that he and many of today’s political leaders were themselves very young when they took up major public offices.
“They should allow youths to steer the affairs of our parties and the country while they play advisory roles,” he declared.
Bala further described Kwankwaso as “still an APC mole,” recalling that in 2023, Atiku Abubakar and other northern leaders mobilised Arewa elders to prevail on Kwankwaso to step down for the sake of Arewa votes, but Kwankwaso refused.
“Having refused to step down then, he has no moral justification to bully or advise me on the injustice being done to me by impostors in the ADC,” he said.
Bala stated that Kwankwaso is not qualified to intervene in the current crisis rocking the ADC because he does not regard him as a member of the party.
He warned Kwankwaso to join the ADC through the proper channel if he wishes to participate, and urged him to familiarise himself with the party’s constitution, noting that he can’t be bullied.
“I cannot be bullied by anyone,” Bala insisted.
It was reports that the outburst from Bala follows an earlier disclosure by Kwankwaso that Bala failed to show up at a planned meeting between the two of them.
It is understood that the meeting was aimed at resolving the issues affecting the leadership and activities of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
However, Kwankwaso was quoted to have said that he stayed up all night expecting Bala to arrive for the meeting, but the politician didn’t turn up.
Speaking during an interview with DCL Hausa, Kwankwaso called on the Emir of Gombe, other Emirs and Sheikhs to prevail on Bala not to work against the interest of the ADC.
United States President Donald Trump has accused CNN of broadcasting what he described as a false statement from Iran regarding the ceasefire agreement reached between Washington and Tehran.
Trump alleged that the statement, which was attributed to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), originated from what he described as a “fake news site from Nigeria.”
The ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran was announced roughly two hours before Trump’s earlier deadline in which he warned that Iran’s “civilisation” could face destruction if the conflict escalated.
CNN had reported that Iran described the ceasefire as a major victory, quoting a statement attributed to the SNSC.
“The enemy, in its unfair, unlawful, and criminal war against the Iranian nation, has suffered an undeniable, historic, and crushing defeat,” the report quoted the Iranian body as saying.
According to the statement cited by CNN, Iranian authorities claimed that Tehran forced the United States to accept its 10-point proposal as part of the ceasefire arrangement.
Reacting in a post on Truth Social, Trump rejected the report and accused CNN of spreading misinformation.
“The alleged Statement put out by CNN World News is a FRAUD, as CNN well knows,” Trump said.
He further alleged that the report originated from a Nigerian news outlet, which he described as unreliable.
“The false Statement was linked to a Fake News site (from Nigeria) and, of course, immediately picked up by CNN, and blared out as a ‘legitimate’ headline,” the US president wrote.
Trump, however, did not name the Nigerian outlet he referred to and provided no evidence to support the claim.
In another post, he described the outlet as “a new, trouble making site from Nigeria.”
The US president also called on CNN to withdraw the report, stating that authorities had begun examining the matter.
He suggested that investigations would determine whether the publication of the report constituted a criminal offence.
Trump subsequently shared what he described as the official Iranian statement, attributed to Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi.
Araghchi confirmed that Iran would suspend defensive operations if attacks by the United States and Israel were halted.
“If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations,” he said.
He also reiterated that Iran would allow the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for global shipping for a limited period.
“For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations.”
The Iranian foreign minister said the remarks were made on behalf of the Supreme National Security Council.
Iranian state-linked media outlets also carried statements attributed to the SNSC.
Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), published excerpts from the council’s message.
“The enemy has suffered an undeniable, historic and crushing defeat in its cowardly, illegal and criminal war against the Iranian nation,” the statement read.
The council also claimed that Iran forced the United States to accept its 10-point plan and congratulated the Iranian people on what it described as a victory.
Meanwhile, Brendan Carr, chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), warned that broadcasters could face consequences if they fail to act in the public interest.
He stated that media organisations risk losing their licences if they do not adhere to professional standards in their reporting.
CNN has defended the report, insisting that the statement was obtained from Iranian officials and was also reported by multiple Iranian state media outlets.