Maiduguri Explosions: How UNIMAID professors narrowly escaped being killed

2026-03-21 - 08:53

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri Monday 16th March, 2026 is a day that will remain fresh in the minds of every resident of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, following the triple suicide bombings that erupted at three separate locations, in the heart of the metropolis, killing 23 persons with 108 injured. The explosions occurred at the busy Monday Market, Post Office general area and the main entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) at about 7pm as muslims were breaking their fast. The casualty figure was given by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Keneth Daso, but many people disputed it, claiming the death toll was higher than 23. The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede has also warned that terrorist attacks would continue to occur unless the residents stop being informants to the terrorists, working with them and even being part of them. Already, the Vice- President, Senator Kashim Shettima, accompanied by the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mrs. Zubaira Umar was at UMTH last Wednesday where they provided medical consumables, food items and cash to the victims and their families. The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu were also on ground on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take charge of the situation. The suicide attack at the UMTH Gate nearly caused the lives of some Professors and friends of the Chief Medical Director, Professor Ahmed Ahijo as they narrowly escaped the blast after they were hosted for the breaking of fast at the CMD’s official residence on that Monday. It was not the first time that the Monday Market and Post Office general area situated at the city centre of Maiduguri Metropolis would witness bomb blasts or suicide attacks, as such calamities were recorded there several times in the past since the beginning of Boko Haram crisis in 2009, leaving many people dead, with others incapacitated or deformed due to severe injuries sustained. Many lives were lost as a result of planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by the terrorists or suicide attacks at both locations. Apart from the suicide attacks and bombings, physical assaults of shooting and killings by terrorists also took place at