Zulum returns from Lesser Hajj, visits Maiduguri bomb blast victims
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has visited victims of the recent bomb explosions in Maiduguri following his return from the Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
During the visit, Governor Zulum expressed sympathy to those injured in the attacks and families of victims who lost their lives.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting those affected and ensuring improved security across the state.
The governor also commended the Federal Government for its prompt intervention after the incident. He specifically acknowledged the release of funds to support clearance operations around the Lake Chad fringes and other affected communities, as well as the directive ordering Service Chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to intensify security operations.
Zulum assured residents that both the state government and security agencies remain determined to end insurgency in Borno State and the North-East region.
While performing the Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia earlier, the governor had issued a statement through his spokesperson condemning the attack, describing it as cowardly and barbaric.
The recent killings in Maiduguri followed a series of coordinated bomb explosions that occurred on 16 March 2026 at crowded civilian locations, including the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, the popular Monday Market and the Post Office area. The attacks happened in the evening when many residents were returning home after breaking their Ramadan fast.
The Police reported that the explosions were suspected suicide bombings, which left at least two dozen people dead and more than 100 others injured, making it one of the deadliest attacks in the city in recent years.
Although no group officially claimed responsibility, the attacks were widely blamed on Boko Haram insurgents and their splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which have carried out a long-running insurgency in Borno State since 2009.
