By Peter Salami
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered Nigeria’s security chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, following Monday night’s deadly coordinated bombings that left at least 23 people dead and over 100 injured.
The directive, announced in a statement by the President, is aimed at tightening operational coordination and intensifying ongoing military efforts against terrorist elements in the North-East. “I have directed security chiefs to move to Maiduguri to take charge of the situation,” Tinubu said, describing the attacks as “disturbing and painful.”
Last week, KTH Daily reported that the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, rtd., had already ordered service chiefs to relocate to the North-East frontlines, underlining a growing urgency within the administration over the deteriorating security situation in the region.
The latest directive from the President reinforces the push, coming on the heels of coordinated explosions that struck a crowded market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office flyover at about 7:24pm on Monday.
Authorities said the attacks were carried out by suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers who detonated improvised explosive devices at multiple locations in an apparent attempt to inflict mass casualties and spread panic across the city.
According to security sources, there are fears that additional suicide bombers may still be within Maiduguri, prompting heightened surveillance, intensified patrols, and expanded counter-IED operations across the metropolis.
The Nigerian Army, under Operation HADIN KAI, confirmed that the attacks bore the hallmarks of coordinated terrorist activity, warning residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements or objects. Troops, alongside police explosive ordnance teams, swiftly secured the affected areas to prevent further casualties.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), evacuated victims to the General Hospital, Specialist Hospital, and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, where the injured are currently receiving treatment.
Tinubu, while mourning the victims, said the attacks were “desperate attempts” by terrorists under pressure from Nigerian forces, vowing that the government would intensify military operations nationwide to eliminate insecurity.
“These acts of terror are desperate attempts by criminals trying to spread fear,” he said. “There is no place in Nigeria where terrorists will find safety. We will locate them and defeat them.”
The President also disclosed that additional military equipment and operational support had been approved to strengthen ongoing counter-insurgency efforts, noting that the measures were already being implemented.
He commended the “courage and fighting spirit” of troops who repelled attacks on military formations in the state, expressing confidence that security forces would ultimately neutralise the threat.
However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) blamed the tragedy on what it described as the failure of the administration to curb rising insecurity, arguing that the Maiduguri bombings were further proof of a worsening national crisis.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party said the attack underscored the inability of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to deliver on its longstanding promises to end insecurity.
The PDP claimed that insecurity had not only persisted but expanded to previously peaceful parts of the country, accusing the government of prioritising political battles over urgent national security concerns.
While extending sympathy to victims and their families, the opposition called for a shift from what it termed rhetoric to a more inclusive and strategic approach involving community stakeholders.
As tension remains high in Maiduguri, security agencies have urged residents to avoid crowded places where possible and remain alert, amid fears that more coordinated attacks could be imminent.