At least 79 people, including civilians, soldiers, vigilantes, and security operatives, have been killed in a series of coordinated and isolated attacks by terrorists and armed groups across four states in northern Nigeria in just a week.
The latest deadliest incident occurred on Monday night in Maiduguri, Borno State, where multiple explosions killed 23 people and injured 146 others, according to officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The blasts targeted the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Monday Market and the Post Office area, in what residents described as a shocking return of mass-casualty attacks in a city that had enjoyed relative calm in recent years.
WikkiTimes gathered that Maiduguri had last witnessed similar incident in 2021.
NEMA said 169 victims were evacuated, with over 100 currently receiving treatment at UMTH, while others were admitted at Umaru Shehu Hospital and the State Specialist Hospital.
The attack came barely 24 hours after another assault on a military position in Ajilari, on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
Residents said the explosions have reignited fears of a return to the dark days of insurgency. “The fear is back,” Sani Abubakar told WikkiTimes in a phone call, noting that the city had not witnessed such coordinated attacks since 2021.
Earlier in March, Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 18 people, including seven soldiers, during an attack on a military base and the nearby Ngoshe community in Gwoza LGA of the State.
According to residents, the attackers overran the military base after a gun battle, forcing troops to withdraw before proceeding to raid the village, where 11 civilians, including women and children, were killed.
The attackers reportedly abducted dozens of residents, including women, children, and a local imam, during the raid.
20 Killed in Plateau
In north-central, at least 20 security personnel and vigilantes were killed on 15 March when suspected bandits ambushed a joint patrol team in Garga area of Kanam LGA of Plateau State.
The victims included 12 security operatives including two military officers and eight members of vigilante groups, according to Kanam Development Association.
The attackers reportedly opened fire on the patrol team near Wanka, before proceeding to invade nearby communities, looting properties and rustling cattle.
16 Killed in Katsina
In the North-west, Katsina State recorded multiple deadly attacks within days.
On 11 March, at least 15 people were killed in coordinated raids on Dansoda and Jikamshi communities in Dandume and Musawa local government areas. Residents said gunmen stormed the villages in the evening, firing indiscriminately at civilians.
In Dansoda, 11 people were killed on the spot while others sustained gunshot wounds. In Jikamshi, at least four people were killed in a separate attack, with several others injured.
The violence continued days later. On 16 March, a traveller, Saminu Hassan, was shot dead when gunmen ambushed a vehicle along the Marabar Maigora–Unguwar Rimi road in Faskari Local Government Area.
Security analysts say the attacks have cast doubt on recent peace arrangements between authorities and armed groups in parts of the state.
2 killed in Sokoto
Further north-west, in Sokoto State, at least two vigilantes were killed in the early hours of Sunday when bandits attacked Bargaja community in Isa Local Government Area.
Residents said the attackers stormed the town around 1:30 a.m., triggering panic and forcing many people—mostly women and children—to flee to safer locations.
Local vigilantes engaged the attackers in a gun battle but suffered casualties, while several bandits were reportedly killed and their bodies taken away.
The series of attacks, spanning from 6 March to 17 March, cuts across the North-east, North-central, and North-west regions, raising fresh concerns about the scale and coordination of armed violence in the country.
Nigeria has battled insurgency and banditry for over a decade, with more than 40,000 people killed and millions displaced, particularly in the North-east.
Security agencies have yet to provide a comprehensive response linking the recent attacks, but analysts warn that the pattern suggests increasing pressure on already stretched security forces. For residents across affected states, the immediate reality is one of renewed fear, displacement, and uncertainty as violence once again spreads across communities
