An explosion has rocked Giwa Barracks, a popular military detention facility where many former Boko Haram fighters are believed to be held in Maiduguri, Borno State. Videos on social media showed flames in the sky, and people residing near the barracks are scrambling for safety. But the authorities have attributed the incident to heat, dismissing claims that terrorists were responsible for it.
In a statement on Thursday, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, confirmed that the explosion at an ammunition storage facility in Giwa Barracks was caused by extreme heat conditions in the area. “At approximately 23:30 hours on April 30, 2025, a significant explosion occurred at one of our ammunition storage facilities situated within Giwa Barracks. This incident caused widespread panic among the local populace. The explosion was due to the intense heat currently prevailing in Borno and other regions of the country, which had a direct impact on the storage facility,” the statement read.
“Fortunately, the situation was swiftly brought under control through the collaborative efforts of military firefighters, the Federal Fire Service and the Borno State Fire Service Department, and various firefighting vehicles from security agencies. Civilians in the immediate vicinity were also relocated to prevent any harm to the public. “Furthermore, the Air Component, Operation HADIN KAI, and the Nigerian Army Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command conducted aerial surveillance over the incident scene and the surrounding areas of Maiduguri Metropolis.
This allowed them to determine the extent of the explosion and guide rescue efforts. Additionally, troops from Operation HADIN KAI were strategically deployed to prevent any potential misuse of the situation by criminals and to safeguard law-abiding citizens.” This comes amid the resurgence of attacks by members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
