Multiple explosions have torn through Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, leaving at least 23 people dead and more than 100 others injured in what authorities have described as coordinated attacks.

The explosions, which occurred on Monday evening, triggered widespread panic across the city, with eyewitnesses recounting chaotic scenes as residents fled for safety.

One of the blasts reportedly occurred at about 6:45 p.m. at the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, just as Muslim faithful were breaking their fast during Ramadan. Another explosion struck the busy Maiduguri Monday Market, while a third went off near the Post Office Flyover.

The Nigeria Police Force in Borno State confirmed that the incidents were suspected suicide improvised explosive device attacks carried out at about 7:24 p.m. across the three locations.

Police Public Relations Officer, Nahum Kenneth Daso, said 23 persons were confirmed dead, while 108 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Emergency responders swiftly evacuated the injured to medical facilities, including the Borno State Specialist Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment.

Security agencies, including the police and military, were deployed to the affected areas to restore calm and secure the city. The Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit also conducted sweep operations to detect and neutralise any further threats.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Naziru Abdulmajid, visited the scenes of the explosions and reassured residents that security has been intensified across Maiduguri.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing to uncover those behind the attacks.

U.S. President Donald Trump is facing growing frustration after several key allies declined his request to deploy naval forces to escort commercial vessels through the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions with Iran.

The appeal came as the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran continues to disrupt global shipping routes and energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, carries about 20 percent of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments, making it one of the most critical energy corridors globally.

Trump had urged several nations; including European and Asian partners, to send warships to help secure the shipping route and protect oil tankers from potential attacks. However, countries such as Germany, Italy, and Spain have refused to commit naval forces, emphasizing diplomacy and caution about becoming directly involved in the conflict.

European leaders argued that any military intervention should be based on broad international agreement and warned that deploying warships without a clear mandate could further escalate tensions in the region. Some officials also questioned the effectiveness of a limited European naval presence in the heavily contested waterway.

The dispute comes as Israel continues strikes on Iranian military infrastructure, while Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting regional assets, including energy facilities in the United Arab Emirates. The escalating hostilities have already disrupted shipping and briefly affected operations at Dubai’s airport and oil ports in the Gulf region.

Despite the reluctance of allies to join the naval escort mission, Trump has insisted that the United States will ensure the “free flow of energy” through the strait if necessary. Washington has also explored providing insurance guarantees and potential naval protection for commercial vessels traveling through the region.

Analysts warn that prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could push global oil prices higher and worsen inflation pressures worldwide, as energy markets remain sensitive to developments in the Middle East.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has entered into a strategic partnership with REX Insurance Limited to introduce weather index insurance aimed at protecting Nigerian farmers from losses caused by extreme weather events.

The agreement, formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is designed to provide farmers with insurance coverage triggered by measurable weather conditions such as droughts and floods.

The initiative seeks to reduce the vulnerability of farmers to climate related risks while promoting sustainable agricultural practices across the country.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Charles Anosike, highlighted the agency’s longstanding role in weather monitoring, noting that NiMet has maintained more than a century of weather observation in Nigeria.

According to him, the agricultural sector remains one of the most exposed to the impacts of climate change, which continues to affect crop production, livestock, soil health, water availability and rural livelihoods.

Anosike explained that the proposed weather index agricultural insurance scheme will rely on scientifically measured weather data to determine when farmers receive payouts. Under the system, insurance compensation will be automatically triggered when weather indicators such as rainfall levels exceed or fall below predetermined thresholds.

He added that the initiative will also integrate crop calendar forecasting, a climate based tool that provides farmers with guidance on the most suitable periods for planting and harvesting. The tool is expected to enable farmers to make informed decisions while improving productivity and crop yields.

Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of REX Insurance, Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, outlined the company’s evolution and commitment to innovation in the insurance sector.

She explained that the company, formerly known as Royal Exchange Insurance, was established in 1918 as Nigeria’s first insurance firm and has recently undergone a transformation aimed at leveraging technology to expand its offerings, particularly in the agricultural sector.

Nwachukwu noted that the partnership with NiMet represents a major step towards providing smallholder farmers with practical risk protection tools.

She expressed optimism that index based insurance tailored for smallholder farmers will soon become widely available in Nigeria, enabling farmers to plan better and mitigate climate related uncertainties.

In his concluding remarks, Anosike emphasised that insurance remains a critical tool for managing the growing risks associated with climate change. He noted that effective risk management in agriculture depends largely on access to reliable climate information.

The NiMet chief reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to the collaboration with REX Insurance, stressing that the partnership will help strengthen the resilience of Nigerian farmers in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.