FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BAOBAB FOR WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE DEADLY MULTIPLE BOMB BLASTS IN MAIDUGURI, BORNO STATE, AND DEMANDS URGENT, DECISIVE GOVERNMENT ACTION TO PROTECT ALL CITIZEN

BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights expresses profound grief and outrage over the devastating bomb blasts that struck Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, on the night of Monday, 16th March 2026. The coordinated explosions at the Post Office area, the popular Monday Market, the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and other crowded locations have so far claimed at least 23 lives and left over 108 people injured. We mourn every life lost and stand in unwavering solidarity with the survivors, the bereaved families, and the entire people of Borno State.

Civilians Paid with Their Lives — Again

These bombings are not isolated incidents. They are the latest devastating chapter in a 17-year insurgency that has visited unimaginable suffering on the people of Northeast Nigeria. This barbaric attack on innocent civilians many of them women, girls, traders, students, and medical workers going about their daily lives is yet another painful reminder of the persistent failure of the government to secure the Northeast and protect Nigerian lives.

Government Must Be Held Accountable

The Nigerian government has a constitutional and human rights obligation to protect the lives of all its citizens. This obligation is not a favour, it is the bedrock of governance. The recurrence of attacks in the northeast, including the December 2025 mosque bombing in Maiduguri and last week's coordinated assault on military bases, signals a deeply troubling deterioration in civilian protection. The government must act swiftly, strategically, and with full accountability to the people.

Urgent Call to Action

BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights calls on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Borno State Government, and all relevant security agencies to:

1. Provide immediate, comprehensive support — medical, psychosocial, and material to all survivors and the families of victims of the Maiduguri bombings.

2. Ensure gender-responsive humanitarian response for the displaced, the injured, and bereaved families — recognising that women and girls face distinct and heightened vulnerabilities in the aftermath of violence.

3. Immediate improvement of security architecture in Maiduguri and across the Northeast, including enhanced intelligence gathering, rapid response mechanisms, and protection of public spaces such as markets, hospitals, schools, and places of worship.

4. Strengthening of laws and policies that protect citizens from terrorism and gender-based violence, with swift implementation and adequate funding for the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.

5. A serious, sustained, and results-oriented fight against insecurity and terrorism — not mere statements or temporary operations, but a comprehensive strategy that addresses root causes, empowers communities, and holds security agencies accountable for lapses.

6. Conduct transparent investigations into the bombings and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable through legitimate legal processes.

The government must move beyond condemnation to concrete, measurable action. The lives of Nigerian citizens particularly women and girls who already face multiple layers of vulnerability Cannot continue to be sacrificed on the altar of inadequate security and weak political will.

BAOBAB stands in solidarity with the people of Borno State and all victims of terrorism across Nigeria. We will continue to monitor the government’s response and hold authorities accountable until every Nigerian can live in safety and dignity.

Signed: 

BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights