The Nigerian Army has revealed the cause of the explosion at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State, which occurred on Wednesday night.
In an official statement, the Army confirmed that the blast was not the result of an attack, as previously speculated, but was instead caused by extremely high temperatures in the region.
The heat affected the munitions stored at the barracks, leading to the explosion.
According to Captain Reuben Kovangiya, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, the explosion occurred due to the intense heat in Maiduguri, which reached dangerous levels at the time.
The explosion happened within the ammunition storage facility at the barracks.
Fortunately, the situation was quickly brought under control through a coordinated response from the Borno State Fire Service, the Nigerian Army Fire Service, and other emergency units.
The Army further assured the public that there was no attack and urged residents of the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council to disregard rumors that suggested otherwise.
Troops from Operation HADIN KAI, the military’s counterinsurgency operation in the North-East region, have been deployed to ensure the safety of the public and prevent any potential unrest caused by the incident.
The Borno State government also confirmed the explosion in a separate statement.
According to the Directorate of Fire Service, Ministry of Information and Internal Security, the fire that triggered the explosions began at around 10:30 pm and was caused by the high heat in the region at that time of year.
The combined efforts of the Nigerian Army Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, and Borno State Fire Service successfully extinguished the flames, and the public was cautioned that secondary explosions may occur.
Authorities have urged residents not to panic and to stay calm as emergency teams remain on-site.
The government also appealed to the public to disregard any rumours of an attack and continue following safety guidelines issued by local authorities.
