Panic gripped Maiduguri residents late Wednesday night as a series of loud explosions erupted from the Giwa Military Barracks, shaking the city and sending thousands fleeing from their homes.
The blasts, which began around 11:30 p.m. and continued into early Thursday morning, were initially feared to be a Boko Haram attack. However, military officials later confirmed the explosions were caused by a fire outbreak in the barracks’ ammunition facility—intensified by the region’s extreme heat.
“It was not an attack,” a senior military officer told The Watch NG. “A section of the barracks caught fire, which led to explosions in the armory.”
Residents reported seeing massive flames and hearing deafening bangs that lasted for hours. “We all fled our homes,” said Danjuma Salisu, a resident of State Assembly Quarters. “The blasts were terrifying.”
Eyewitness Bunu Bukar added that fire trucks had to withdraw temporarily due to ongoing detonations. “Thousands are on the run—people are terrified.”
Deputy Governor of Borno State, Dr. Umar Usman Kadafur, confirmed the incident, urging the public to remain calm and indoors. “This was a fire incident at the Giwa Barracks armory,” he said. “It caused some munitions to explode, but the fire has been contained by combined emergency services.”
He cautioned that secondary explosions could still occur, advising residents not to panic if they hear additional blasts.
Meanwhile, Captain Reuben Kovangiya of Operation HADIN KAI stated that the incident was caused by extreme heat conditions, which likely ignited the stored munitions. “Troops have secured the area to prevent opportunistic attacks or looting,” he said.
Authorities emphasized that there is no evidence of insurgent involvement and urged the public to ignore speculative reports circulating on social media.
