Borno Bombings: Death Toll Rises To 26 As Blood Shortage Hits Hospitals

The aftermath of Monday’s coordinated bomb attacks in Maiduguri, Borno State, has taken a grim turn as hospitals struggle with a critical shortage of blood while the death toll climbs to 26.

The explosions, which occurred at about 7pm at the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), the Monday Market roundabout, and the Post Office, are among the deadliest in the city in recent years.

As emergency responders battle to save the injured, health workers and families say the situation is becoming increasingly dire due to insufficient blood supplies.

The Nigerian Army has warned residents to remain vigilant, noting that terrorists may have deployed multiple suicide bombers across Maiduguri.

In a statement, the spokesman of Operation HADIN KAI, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said the attacks were carefully coordinated to inflict maximum casualties.

“Preliminary information indicates that the terrorists may have deployed multiple suicide bombers into Maiduguri with the intention of carrying out coordinated attacks at crowded locations,” Uba had said.

He added that troops, alongside the Nigeria Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit and other security agencies, responded swiftly to secure affected areas and prevent further damage.

The Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Surajo Abdullahi, confirmed that 26 people were killed and 146 others injured. Many of the victims are receiving treatment at UMTH and other hospitals across the city.

However, the rising number of casualties has overwhelmed medical facilities, triggering urgent appeals for blood donations.

“Please, if you or anyone you know has a blood group and can donate, kindly reach out immediately. Your support can save a life,” a victim’s relative posted on social media.
Health workers say the ongoing Ramadan fast has further complicated efforts to secure donors.

“Many potential donors are unable to give blood during fasting hours, so we are appealing to non-fasting residents to come forward to save lives in the hospital,” a nurse said.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) also echoed the call for donations while condemning the attack on a medical facility.

“Hospitals are sacred spaces meant for healing, hope, and preservation of life. To witness such a place targeted by acts of violence is both painful and unacceptable,” the association said.

Amid the crisis, families of victims have questioned the official casualty figures, suggesting the true toll may be higher.

“We saw over 200 people on the ground, each with varying degrees of injuries. Other shop owners and I evacuated over 60 people. In Gwange, Bulabulin, and other areas, residents reported burying more than 30 people. I was surprised they said only 23 died,” a resident said.

Survivors also recounted harrowing experiences from the attacks.
“Just minutes after he left, we heard the explosions. We rushed to the scene and found him on the ground, soaked in his own blood. He is still unconscious, and the hospital is struggling for donations,” said Amina Aisami, whose husband was caught in the blast.

Another victim, Abatcha Mustapha, described how he was injured at the market.
“We were about to leave the market when the first bomb detonated. I heard a loud sound and felt my neck bleeding. My brother tied it with his cloth and brought me to the hospital,” he said.

As the humanitarian situation worsens, security and political leaders have continued to react to the attacks.

SaharaReporters had reported that President Bola Tinubu ordered service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri and intensify operations, assuring Nigerians that the country will not bow to terror.

“The recent news from Maiduguri is profoundly upsetting. I mourn those who lost their lives, sympathise with the injured, and stand in solidarity with the people of Borno during this challenging time,” he said.

“There is no place in Nigeria where terrorists will find safety. We will locate them, confront them, and completely defeat them. Nigeria will not succumb to fear,” he said.

Vice President Kashim Shettima also condemned the killings, stressing the sanctity of human life.

“No religion sanctions the killing of the innocent. Whatever motivates them, may Allah guide them to the right path or remove them from the earth,” he said.

However, criticism has trailed the government’s response. Senator Ali Ndume urged authorities to prioritise security over politics.

“We seem to have abandoned the people for politics. The people who will vote are dying,” he said.

Security expert, Dr Yahuza Getso, also faulted the directive for service chiefs to relocate, describing it as ineffective.

“It is a repetition of approaches that have failed to curb insurgency,” he said.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and other political figures also called for a review of the country’s security strategy, as concerns grow over renewed violence in the North-East.

For now, however, the immediate crisis remains in Maiduguri’s hospitals, where doctors and families continue to race against time—hoping that enough blood donations arrive to keep more victims alive. (SaharaReporters)