Suspected Terrorists Attack Maiduguri Communities Overnight, Residents Flee in Panic
Hussaini Ibrahim 
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria – Residents of Maiduguri flee their homes early Monday after suspected terrorists launch an overnight attack in several communities in the capital of Borno State.
Witnesses say armed men began shooting sporadically around 12:35 a.m. in the Dala, Bulamari and Ajilari Cross areas, triggering panic across neighbourhoods already tense from years of insurgency.
Local residents describe scenes of fear as gunfire echoes through the streets.
“People ran out of their houses immediately the shooting started,” one resident tells reporters. “Everyone was trying to find a safe place.”
Security forces quickly deploy to the affected areas. Troops and police units move in with reinforcements to contain the situation.
The spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, confirms the attack in a conversation with journalists.
“Yes, there is a suspected terrorist attack around Ajilari Cross,” Daso says. “Security operatives have already been deployed to the scene.”
Authorities say security patrols are intensified overnight as forces work to secure the area and prevent further violence.
The attack underscores ongoing security concerns in north-east Nigeria, where insurgent groups linked to Boko Haram and its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province, have carried out repeated attacks on civilians and military targets.
Residents say the swift response by security forces helps calm tensions, although fear remains in affected neighbourhoods.
Police say further updates will be provided as investigations continue.
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