At least 7 people were killed and several others injured when a powerful explosion rocked a mosque during evening prayers in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Wednesday, 24th December. The blast occurred inside a crowded mosque located in the Gamboru Market area of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, as people were offering prayers.
BREAKING: Muslims in Nigeria have just bombed a crowded opposition mosque to kill the Muslims who refused to join the Jihadists.
No one safe under Islam. Not even other Muslims. pic.twitter.com/pzRMABLjsv
— Liza Rosen (@LizaRosen0000) December 24, 2025
According to eyewitnesses and security sources, an explosion occurred at the mosque around 6 pm on Wednesday, 24th December, causing panic. An anti-jihadist militia leader said the explosives were placed inside the mosque and detonated during prayers. A mosque attendee put the death toll at eight, although authorities have not yet released an official figure. At least 35 people were injured in the attack, and eyewitnesses say several were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Police suspect it to be a suicide bombing. Borno state police spokesperson Nahum Daso said, “Preliminary investigations further suggest that the incident may have been a suicide bombing, based on the recovery of fragments of a suspected suicide vest and witness statements recorded, while investigations are ongoing to establish the exact cause and circumstances.”
Police confirmed the explosion and said an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was deployed to the scene. Videos that surfaced after the attack showed bloodied people and bodies covered in sheets.
BLAST at mosque in Nigeria during evening prayers
Maiduguri house of worship PACKED for Maghrib prayers
'MANY feared dead' pic.twitter.com/D46HgMn0q7
— RT (@RT_com) December 24, 2025
No organisation has claimed responsibility, and a security alert has been issued.
No armed group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. An international NGO has issued a security alert for its staff, advising them to stay away from the Gamboru Market area of Maiduguri, Nigeria. Maiduguri has long been a hotbed of insurgency by Boko Haram and its affiliate, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The nearly two-decade-long conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions, although the city has seen fewer major attacks in recent years.
