At least 23 people have been confirmed dead, while 146 others sustained injuries following multiple explosions that rocked Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Monday night.

The blasts occurred at the entrance gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), as well as at Monday Market and the Post Office area of the city.

Surajo Abdullahi, Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), who confirmed the figures to Daily Trust, said a total of 169 victims had been evacuated to three hospitals across Maiduguri.

According to him, 108 victims are currently receiving treatment at UMTH, 20 at Umaru Shehu Hospital, and 17 at Maiduguri Specialist Hospital.

Residents expressed concern that the incident signals a resurgence of violence in the city, which had enjoyed relative peace in recent years.

“Everything has returned again — the fear and the horrific scenes. These multiple blasts suggest a worrying rise in violence in a city that has been relatively calm,” a resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

The last major attack in Maiduguri occurred in 2021, when suspected Boko Haram insurgents fired mortars that killed at least 10 people. This was followed by a suicide bombing at a mosque in the Gambarou market area.

Meanwhile, the Borno State Police Command has urged residents to remain calm but vigilant.

The command’s spokesperson, Nahum Kenneth Daso, said the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit has been deployed to the scene for assessment, adding that joint security operatives and emergency responders are working to manage the situation.

The latest explosions occurred shortly after a separate attack on a military location in Ajilari, an outskirt of Maiduguri, on Sunday night.