Heavy sounds from Giwa Barrack in Maiduguri, Borno State, sent residents into panic and confusion in the wee hours of Thursday.
The deafening blast and red flares in the sky made residents of polo, fori, GRA, Unimaid and others to run into the streets for fear of possible Boko Haram attack.
But, Borno State Police command, in a statement stated that 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.speaking, the Directorate of Borno Fire Service, noted 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.
