Reports have emerged of intense fighting between suspected Islamic State West Africa Province militants and troops of the Nigerian Army on the outskirts of Maiduguri late Sunday night.
According to security analyst Brant Philip, loud explosions were heard in the western part of the city about an hour before his report, causing panic and concern among local residents.
Philip noted that the blasts were connected to ongoing clashes between the suspected ISWAP militants and Nigerian troops deployed around the city’s outskirts. He emphasized that the full details of the confrontation were still unclear at the time, as the situation continued to unfold.
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“Loud explosions were heard in the western part of Maiduguri around an hour ago. Details are still unclear as the situation is ongoing. Heavy clashes between suspected ISWAP militants and the Nigerian army are occurring on the outskirts of Maiduguri tonight, the capital of Borno State in northeast Nigeria,” Philip wrote on the social media platform X.
Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, has long served as a major operational centre in the fight against insurgent groups in Nigeria’s northeast, making the city a frequent flashpoint for military confrontations with armed groups such as ISWAP.
Security agencies have yet to release an official statement on casualties or the current status of the operation, as efforts to stabilize the area continue. Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to authorities.