• An explosion occurred at a mosque in Maiduguri during evening prayers.
• At least seven casualties have been reported, with numbers potentially rising.
• This incident underscores ongoing violence linked to jihadist groups in the region.

An explosion tore through a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s Borno state, during evening prayers on December 24, 2025. Eyewitnesses reported that the blast occurred around 6 PM, claiming multiple lives. Both police and mosque leaders have suggested varying casualty figures, with one local militia leader indicating at least seven deaths, while a mosque official stated the toll may be as high as eight. However, no official confirmation of these casualty figures has been provided yet, according to Reuters, BBC, and Le Monde.

The attack seems to align with a history of violence orchestrated by Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which have targeted crowded places and religious establishments in Maiduguri. An explosive ordnance disposal team was dispatched to the scene, as concerns mount over a resurgence of violence in a region that has been plagued by conflict for nearly two decades, according to Al Jazeera and BBC.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but incidents of a similar nature have occurred in the past. Witness reports indicate that many victims required medical treatment following the incident. The ongoing insurgency in northeastern Nigeria has claimed at least 40,000 lives and displaced millions since it began, highlighting the persistent dangers faced by civilians despite a decline in attacks in recent years, as noted by Reuters, Le Monde, and Al Jazeera.