Three suicide bombers attempted to gain entry into the University of Maiduguri in the early hours of Saturday. University security personnel and soldiers on duty spotted them near the mechanical workshop and stopped them for interrogation. As they were being questioned, two of the bombers detonated their explosive devices, killing one security guard and injuring a soldier. A third bomber (female), who had hidden near a church, later detonated her explosives, causing structural damage to the church but no additional casualties.
13 May 2017 · University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID),, Maiduguri, Borno
Deaths
4
Injured
1
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
5
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
The police command's EOD teams were deployed to clear the campus and surrounding area for general safety. Normalcy was restored following the incident
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
The timing suggested Boko Haram sought to undermine the government's narrative of progress following the Chibok release and demonstrate continued operational capacity
Trajectory
The attack demonstrated Boko Haram's sustained capacity to strike educational institutions despite military operations in the region.
Cycle notes
Mirrored earlier attacks on educational and civilian institutions by Boko Haram, such as the 16 January 2017 University of Maiduguri bombing and the 25 February 2014 Buni Yadi school massacre, reflecting a recurring tactic of targeting symbols of education and public life to undermine state authority and disrupt academic environments; it also aligns with a broader pattern of infiltration attempts on fortified campuses followed by interception or partial detonation at perimeters, illustrating both continued intent to strike soft symbolic targets and improving security response on high-risk university grounds.
Pattern
Suicide Bombing
Related — Bombing/IED
Two female suicide bombers carried out coordinated attacks in the Mashamari community of Borno State, according to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Chief Security Officer, Bello Danbatta. The first attacker detonated an explosive device near a mosque as residents were preparing for evening prayers. Moments later, the second bomber detonated inside a nearby residential house. The attacks left three people dead and seven others injured.
Three suicide bombers, reportedly disguised as buyers, carried out coordinated attacks on the village market and a nearby camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs). The first bomber (a woman) detonated her explosives inside the market, causing mass casualties. Almost simultaneously, two other bombers detonated at the gates of the IDP camp.
A bomber attacked a group of mourners who had gathered to sympathize with families of those killed in the earlier attacks. The explosion killed the bomber and seven civilians .