A male suicide bomber, suspected to be wearing a Body-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (BBIED) vest, entered the Al-Adum Juma’at Mosque inside the busy Gamboru Market in Maiduguri, Borno State, during evening prayers. The bomber detonated the explosives in the middle of a packed congregation . The blast caused the partial collapse of the mosque’s interior and triggered a stampede in the surrounding market area. Survivors described dust filling the air and the sound being so loud it deafened some worshippers . According to the Nigerian Army, the bomber killed himself and two civilians at the scene, while 32 others sustained injuries; two of the injured later died at the hospital, bringing the confirmed death toll to at least five . However, community sources reported that 12 worshippers were buried following Islamic rites, suggesting a higher toll . The mosque’s Imam, Alhaji Mohammed, stated that the explosion occurred just after the first raka’at of the Maghrib prayer.
24 Dec 2025 · Gamboru Market, Maiduguri, Borno
Deaths
12
Injured
35
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
47
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
Emergency teams from the Red Cross and NEMA evacuated victims to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and the State Specialist Hospital. Governor Babagana Zulum condemned the act as "barbaric and inhumane," while Vice President Kashim Shettima announced that President Tinubu had ordered an immediate intensification of security operations across the state.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Sectarian intimidation, destabilization of urban centers, demonstration of insurgent capability.
Trajectory
The Aliyu Ngulde-led faction of JAS has increasingly utilized mass-casualty bombings in late 2025 to prove its relevance against its rival, ISWAP. This "competition in terror" suggests that urban centers in the North East may face a renewed wave of IED threats in 2026.
Cycle notes
Mirrors earlier mosque-targeted violence, including the December 1980 Maitatsine siege in Kano, the November 28, 2014 Kano Central Mosque attack, the July 17, 2015 Damaturu Eid al-Fitr bombing in Yobe, the November 21, 2017 Mubi Madina Mosque bombing in Adamawa, the May 1, 2018 Mubi twin mosque bombings, the October 25, 2021 Mazakuka Fajr attack in Niger, and the August 19, 2025 Unguwan Mantau dawn-prayer massacre in Katsina State, underscoring a persistent pattern of targeting congregational worship to inflict mass casualties and intimidate communities.
Pattern
Religious-Targeted Bombing — insurgents strike mosques to maximize casualties and instill fear.
Related — Bombing/IED
A suicide bomber joined a large crowd of Shiite Muslims marching in a procession to mark Ashura, the annual day of mourning. He detonated his explosives, causing mass casualties. In the immediate aftermath, soldiers arrived at the scene. According to the Shiite leader and witnesses, the soldiers broke into the nearby seminary, where people had taken shelter, and opened fire, killing several more
A male suicide bomber disguised as a grain merchant infiltrated Amarwa village. He first approached a provisions shop and offered sorghum for sale; when the shopkeeper declined, he walked to a shade where villagers had gathered for relaxation and detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) concealed in a black plastic bag. The blast killed the bomber and initially three other persons, injuring 13 others. Two of the injured later died in the hospital, bringing the final death toll to six (including the bomber).
A tricycle taxi, commonly known as a "Keke NAPEP," accidentally ran over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that had been buried by the side of the road. Military investigations revealed that the device had likely been buried long ago and remained undetected until it was triggered. The explosion occurred instantly and resulted in the deaths of four individuals: a woman, her baby, and two adult men. Three other people, including a soldier, sustained injuries and were promptly evacuated to Biu General Hospital. The army later confirmed that the injured soldier had died at the hospital. The area surrounding the incident was cordoned off, and an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was deployed to conduct a thorough search of the vicinity.