- Suicide bomber attacks mosque in Maiduguri
- Explosion occurred during Maghrib prayers
- Many worshippers feared dead, others injured
- Boko Haram or ISWAP suspected
Many worshippers are feared dead after a suicide bomber attacked a mosque in Maiduguri, Borno State, detonating explosives during evening Maghrib prayers and throwing the community into mourning.
The attack occurred at the Gambarou Jumu’at Mosque in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Tuesday evening as worshippers gathered for congregational prayers.
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Eyewitnesses said the attacker quietly entered the mosque and detonated the explosive device during the first raka’at of the Maghrib prayer, causing panic, casualties, and injuries among worshippers.
“The bomber detonated the device during the first raka’at of Maghrib prayers. Many people died instantly, while others sustained serious injuries,” a survivor told Daily Trust.
Although no group has officially claimed responsibility for the attack, security sources suspect the involvement of Boko Haram or the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), both of which have carried out similar attacks in Borno in recent months.
The incident comes barely a week after another suicide bombing on December 17 at a military checkpoint in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area, where five soldiers and several civilians were killed.
READ ALSO: Explosion Hits Mosque During Prayers in Maiduguri
A security source disclosed that the attacker may have hidden in the Mandara Mountains before carrying out the operation.
“The suspect reportedly stayed near a military checkpoint overnight. When movement resumed in the morning, he blended in with civilians before detonating the bomb,” the source said.
Security agencies are yet to release an official casualty figure as investigations and rescue efforts continue.
