A bomb explosion inside a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s Borno State, killed at least seven worshippers during evening prayers on Wednesday, December 24. Witnesses and security sources confirmed the incident, though no group has claimed responsibility. Local anti-jihad militia leader Babakura Kolo described it as a deliberate attack, while some witnesses suggested it might have been a suicide bombing. Police confirmed the blast and said bomb disposal units were deployed to the site. The explosion occurred in the Gamboru market area, a district that has previously faced attacks from insurgent groups. An NGO operating in Maiduguri advised its staff to avoid the area following the incident. Borno State has long been the epicenter of the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgencies, which have killed around 40,000 people and displaced nearly two million since 2009. Although large-scale attacks in Maiduguri have declined in recent years, analysts warn that militant groups retain the capacity to launch deadly assaults, highlighting persistent instability in Nigeria’s northeast.