Follow Us on Google
• Maiduguri residents recount sordid ordeals
From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Residents of Maiduguri, Borno State, have described the recent multiple explosions at the Ammunition Storage Facility, Giwa Barracks, Nigerian Army, as terrifying and traumatising. The explosions lasted close to an hour and resulted in some destruction at the facilities. But fortunately, it did not lead to loss of life.
The barracks, located at the eastern axis of the city, is of strategic military significance. It was once the headquarters of the 21 Armoured Brigade until the creation of the 7 Division in Maiduguri in August 2013. It is also a holding facility for arrested members of Boko Haram/SWAP and a storage facility for military arms and ammunition.
Martha Musa is a health worker with a humanitarian organisation. She told Daily Sun that she almost fainted after the first round of explosions shook her residence that night. Her home was not far from the barracks, the reason she held the raw sounds and felt the impacts as it was dropping on her rooftop.
She recalled: “I rushed to the toilet twice between an interval of six and 10 minutes. It was as if the bombs were landing on my roof. I was restless and not long afterward my fears ruptured my stomach.
“I sank into an armless seat in my parlour after my second visit to the toilet. I almost passed out. It was another terrible night. The sequence of explosions that followed the first sounds and cries from women and children in the neighbourhood worsened the situation.
“I actually thought Boko Haram guys had penetrated into the city and were already attacking our neighbourhood. I was hearing cries of children and women praying, crying and yelling.”
For Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Borno State, Abdulkareem Haruna, it was a moment of uncertainty and confusion. Haruna, who had been caught up in a similar confusion in previous Boko Haram attacks between 2014 and 2019, described the April 30 incident as terrifying.
Mohammed Khali, a resident and a retiree, said he was about to sleep when the unholy booms began to shell down the earth: “I spent the evening hours on a mat at the veranda because it was very hot inside in Maiduguri.
“I started hearing the sound as soon as I lay on my bed. I rushed out and gathered my family. We just lay down flat for over an hour. We didn’t have a clear idea of what the situation outside was.”
Investigations indicated that one of the reasons for the heightened anxiety and panic over the explosions was the echoes of a similar explosion that happened on March 14, 2014, when dozens of Boko Haram insurgents besieged the barracks while most of the officers were on duty.
The coordinated attacks lasted for about three hours. It led to the death of officers and civilians, destruction of facilities at the barracks as well as the release of some Boko Haram insurgents held at the barracks.
Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force North East, Operations Hadin Kai, Abdulsalam Abubakar attributed the heavy explosion to the heat waves currently prevailing in the state which had a direct impact on their storage facility. He urged residents to remain calm.
He said the situation was brought under control through the collaborative efforts of the fire fighters and various fire services, including the Borno State Fire Service agency. He added that civilians in the immediate vicinity of the barracks were also relocated to other areas to avert exposing them to harm.
But his narration appeared not have convinced many. The Network of Civil Society Organisations (NCSO) called for an independent investigation to ascertain the exact cause(s) of the explosion. Its Executive Director, Bulama Abiso, said: “While preliminary reports indicate that the intense seasonal heat in Maiduguri may have played a role in the outbreak, we respectfully call on relevant authorities to launch a thorough and independent investigation to ascertain the root cause and draw lessons that can avert future occurrences.
“Strengthening of safety measures around military installations to protect both personnel and civilians is equally important. We stand in solidarity with the Nigerian Army, Borno State Government and the affected residents of communities around the barracks who were exposed to fear and anxiety due to the multiple explosions that accompanied the incident.”
The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), resolved to liaise with the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) to work out modalities of how to increase support to federal security agencies. After meeting at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, on May 10, 2025, the forum resolved to strengthen peculiar local initiatives in combating all forms of security challenges.
It acknowledged the critical role of nonpartisan cooperation, collaboration and peer review in effectively addressing the numerous developmental challenges confronting the northern region and the nation at large. It also resolved to urgently set up inter-state platforms to coordinate surveillance on joint borders.
The forum reiterated its support for the creation of State Police and called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the enactment of the legal framework for its take-off.
