Multiple explosions rocked Maiduguri on Monday evening, hours after suspected insurgents attacked a military base in Ajilari Cross. Blasts struck near the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, the main market, and a post office, sparking panic across the city.
Police say security forces repelled the initial attack with no casualties, though officials are still assessing the impact of the later explosions. Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been linked to the attacks, part of a surge in violence in northeastern Nigeria.
In a viral screenshot of an alleged Truth Social post, United States President Donald Trump criticised President Bola Tinubu’s absence during the crisis, calling Nigeria’s leadership “a total disaster” and urging immediate action against terrorists.
Tinubu will depart Abuja on Tuesday for a state visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of King Charles III. The visit, confirmed by Tinubu’s adviser Bayo Onanuga, includes meetings with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a formal banquet, and the signing of a £746 million financing deal to refurbish Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port Complex.
The state visit, the first by a Nigerian president in 37 years to be hosted at Windsor Castle, aims to boost bilateral relations, trade, investment, and cultural exchange.
