Suicide Bombing Kills 5 in Maiduguri Mosque

An explosion tore through a crowded mosque in Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria, during evening prayers on Wednesday, killing at least five people and injuring dozens more, according to police and witnesses.

The blast occurred around 6:15 p.m. local time in the Gamboru market area of the city, the capital of Borno State. Local police spokesman Nahum Daso confirmed that a suspected suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device inside the mosque as worshippers gathered for Maghrib prayers. Five individuals died at the scene, Daso said, while 35 others suffered varying injuries and were rushed to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for treatment. An explosive ordnance disposal team and other security forces quickly secured the site, cordoning off the area to check for secondary devices and begin an investigation.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene immediately after the detonation. Mosque leader Malam Abuna Yusuf reported seeing at least eight bodies, while anti-jihadist militia leader Babakura Kolo estimated seven deaths. Another witness, Musa Yushau, recounted watching victims being carried away for medical care, noting the heavy crowd at the time of the attack....