Maiduguri

An improvised explosive device (IED) suspected to have been planted inside a mosque at Gamboru Main Market in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, exploded on Tuesday evening while worshippers were observing Maghrib prayers at about 6:00 p.m. Sources said the mosque is usually crowded with traders and shoppers who patronise the Gamboru market daily. As of the time of filing this report, there was no official confirmation of casualties, while security agencies were yet to issue a formal statement on the incident. The explosion occurred in Maiduguri, a city that has remained at the centre of the Boko Haram insurgency and attacks by its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), for nearly two decades. The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions across Nigeria’s northeast. Read Also: Kano Assembly Member Sarki Daneji Dies Ungoggo State Assembly Member Dies in Kano Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Strengthen Unity with Launch of AES Television No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, armed groups operating in the region have previously targeted mosques and other crowded public places using suicide bombings and improvised explosive devices. Boko Haram began its violent uprising in Borno State in 2009, seeking to establish an Islamic caliphate. Despite sustained military operations and regional cooperation, sporadic attacks continue to pose threats to civilians in the area.