Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested two suspects in connection with the Christmas Eve bomb explosion that killed five people and injured 32 others at a mosque in Gamboru Market, Maiduguri, Borno State.
The attack occurred when a suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) inside the mosque during prayers.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, intelligence sources revealed that the attack was jointly coordinated by terrorist factions including Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), Ansaru, and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
The report disclosed that a Boko Haram cell led by Munzir Abu Ziyadah, a notorious IED specialist, allegedly prepared up to ten person-borne improvised explosive devices (PBIEDs) at the Ali Ngulde camp axis of Borno State. The terrorists reportedly moved through the Ngoshe Mountains into Gazuwa and Ngom communities ahead of the planned attacks, one of which culminated in the deadly mosque bombing.
Makama reported that troops of Operation Hadin Kai arrested the first suspect on Monday evening in Banki town, Borno State, during intelligence-led patrols. The suspect was said to have been intercepted with primed IED components.
The second suspect, identified as Ibrahim, was arrested in Damaturu, Yobe State, through collaboration between security operatives and a local hunters’ group. He was subsequently transferred to Maiduguri for further interrogation.
During questioning, Ibrahim reportedly led investigators to the Izala Mosque in the Tashan Joni area of Maiduguri, where he claimed to have abandoned a bag containing an IED after failing to get close enough to detonate it. However, security operatives were unable to locate the bag at the site.
Further interrogation reportedly led Ibrahim to confess that he played an accomplice role in the Gamboru Market mosque bombing. He admitted to planting an explosive device in a bag at the mosque entrance on Christmas Eve, while his accomplice, Adamu, now deceased, entered the mosque wearing a suicide vest and detonated it.
The suspect also confessed that six suicide bombers were deployed to Maiduguri ahead of the attack under the coordination of a terror kingpin. He reportedly identified three of the bombers — Salisu, Yusuf, and Adamu — as residents of Maiduguri, while the remaining three — Adamu, Yusuf, and Abdullahi — were said to be from Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The publication further revealed that a security sweep along the Cameroon–Nigeria border led to the interception of a Peugeot vehicle conveying six bags of urea fertiliser, a key component used in the manufacture of IEDs.
The driver and the consignment were taken into custody, while follow-up operations resulted in the arrest of the fertiliser dealer and the recovery of an additional six bags of urea fertiliser.