Heavy sounds from Giwa Barrack in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, sent residents into confusion in the early hours of Thursday.
The deafening blast and red flares in the sky forced residents of polo, fori, GRA, Unimaid and others out on the streets in fear of possible Boko Haram attack.
However, Borno State Police command, in a statement said it was a fire outbreak in the ammunition facility of the Barrack and advised the public to remain calm
“On 30 April 2025 at 10:30 PM, a fire broke out in the ammunition facility at Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri. The fire incident affected some munitions to detonate, resulting in loud bangs.
“A combined security and fire-service response team arrived promptly on scene and successfully extinguished the fire. Preliminary investigations indicated that the unusually high ambient temperatures in Maiduguri at this time of year may have contributed to the outbreak.
“The command calls on all members of the public to remain calm and should not panic as the situation is now fully under control” said the spokesman, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso
Also, the Directorate of Borno Fire Service, said in a statement that a combined team of first responders from the Nigerian Army Fire Service, Federal Fire Service and Borno State Fire Service have duly reported at the scene and successfully put out the fire.
“However, there may be secondary explosions which may disturb the neighbourhood around the barracks. Members of the public should not panic on hearing loud bangs.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the intense heat in Madiguri around this time of the year may have triggered or conflagrate the fire. However, the combined team of firefighters are on top of the situation” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the Borno State Police Command has urged residents of Maiduguri, the state capital, to remain calm following Wednesday night’s explosion at Giwa Barracks.
It clarified that the incident was a “friendly-fire” and not the result of an enemy attack.
