Huge ISIS-linked terror attack kills 23 hours before Nigerian leader’s UK state visit

Police officers are seen at the scene of a bomb blast at a market in Maiduguri, Nigeria (Image: AP)

At least 23 people were killed and more than 100 injured in a series of suspected suicide bombings that struck Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri on Monday evening. The attack, one of the deadliest attacks in years, served as a stark reminder of the persistent jihadist threat hours before Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's historic state visit to the UK.

The coordinated blasts targeted crowded civilian areas during Ramadan iftar, including the bustling Monday Market, a post office zone, and the entrance to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Witnesses described chaotic scenes of carnage, with emergency services rushing to the sites amid shattered stalls and panicked crowds breaking their fast.

Nigerian soldiers prepare to patrol during the visit of Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff General Olu (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Borno State police confirmed the death toll at 23, with 108 wounded, in a statement attributing the incidents to "suspected suicide bombers" using improvised explosive devices. No group has claimed responsibility, but Nigerian military and police officials pointed firmly to Boko Haram, the notorious insurgent group whose insurgency has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 2009.

The attacks bear the hallmarks of Boko Haram tactics at the height of its campaign to impose a radical interpretation of Sharia law in the northeast. Analysts noted the resurgence of suicide bombings in urban centres, previously pushed to rural fringes by military operations, signals the group's enduring resilience despite years of counter-insurgency efforts.

The violence follows a pattern of escalating jihadist activity in Borno, including recent assaults on military bases by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a Boko Haram splinter faction that pledged allegiance to ISIS and has intensified drone-supported raids on Nigerian forces.

While ISWAP is ISIS-backed, core Boko Haram retains loose ideological ties but operates semi-independently. Al-Qaeda affiliates have limited direct presence in Nigeria's northeast compared to the Sahel's JNIM networks.

The Royals welcome Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and wife Oluremi

The timing could hardly be more embarrassing for the Nigerian government. President Tinubu arrived in the UK on Tuesday for the first Nigerian state visit in 37 years, greeted with full ceremonial pomp at Windsor Castle. King Charles hosted a glittering banquet, praising Nigeria as an "economic powerhouse" and "living bridge" through its diaspora of over half a million in Britain.

He acknowledged painful shared history under colonialism while urging forward-looking ties amid global uncertainties, including economic fallout from conflicts and climate threats.

King Charles said: “When the music changes, so does the dance.” He then lightened the mood with Nigerian pidgin: “Naija No Dey Carry Last!” drawing laughter from President Tinubu. Guests included the Prince and Princess of Wales, Nigerian cultural figures such as poet Sir Ben Okri and singer Tiwa Savage, and Michelin-starred chef Adejoke Bakare.

However, back home, the Maiduguri bombings underscored Nigeria's overstretched security forces, battling not only Boko Haram/ISWAP but other northern crises.

The UN estimates more than 40,000 deaths since the insurgency began, with critics arguing the government has failed to adequately protect citizens.

President Tinubu said: “Nigeria will not succumb to fear.” In response, he ordered service chiefs to relocate to Borno to bolster operations.

The US, which deployed advisory troops last month to aid counter-terror efforts, has watched the flare-up amid broader Sahel instability involving ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates.

The Maiduguri assault shatters the city's recent relative calm and highlights the jihadists' capacity to strike symbolically during Ramadan and on the eve of high-profile diplomacy.

As Nigeria seeks stronger international partnerships, including through the Commonwealth, the attack serves as a grim punctuation to Tinubu's London visit — proof that the insurgency remains far from defeated.