He alleged that the bombs were supplied by his group leaders, whom he identified as Adam and Abubakar, said to be operating around Beki-Duse and Mubi axis of Adamawa State.
A suspect, identified as Ibrahim Muhammed, has been arrested in Damaturu, Yobe State, after allegedly confessing to his involvement in a deadly bomb attack on a mosque in Maiduguri, Borno State, SaharaReporters has learnt.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, the suspect, who spoke in the Hausa language, claimed that he and other members of the Boko Haram terrorist group planted two bombs at a mosque near Kalumari area of Maiduguri, leading to an explosion that killed worshippers.
Introducing himself in the video, the suspect said: “My name is Ibrahim Muhammed. I am from Michika, Michika by tribe. I came to this town to spy.”
He alleged that the bombs were supplied by his group leaders, whom he identified as Adam and Abubakar, said to be operating around Beki-Duse and Mubi axis of Adamawa State.
According to him, the leaders selected the target and ordered the attack.
“Our leader was the one who gave us the bomb to plant. They were the ones that prescribed the mosque to bomb. The mosque was newly built and it was occupied by Izala,” he said.
When asked what brought him to Damaturu, the suspect claimed he was deployed on a reconnaissance mission.
“I was sent to spy on soldiers and local vigilantes, gather all their information and return to Maiduguri,” he stated.
He narrated that he arrived in Damaturu the previous evening and was searching for a place to sleep when he encountered local residents.
According to him, he and others were later chased from a location by a man wielding a stick, forcing them to flee.
He added that members of a local vigilante group later confronted them, ordered them to return and pack their belongings, and subsequently apprehended them while they were preparing to leave.
The suspect further claimed that another explosive device had been left behind in Tashan Joni area of Maiduguri, raising fresh security concerns.
Security authorities are yet to officially comment on the arrest or confirm the claims made in the video, but the development comes amid renewed fears over insurgent infiltration and attacks in parts of the North-East.
Previously, SaharaReporters reported that five people were killed while over 30 others sustained injuries following an explosion at a mosque located within Gamboru Market, Maiduguri, Borno State.
The Borno State Police Command confirmed the incident in a press release, stating that it received “a report of an IED explosion” on December 24, 2025, “at about 1800hrs, at Al-Adum Juma’at Mosque, located within Gamboru Market, Maiduguri, during prayers.”
The press release was signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, on behalf of the Borno State Police Command, and dated December 24, 2025.
According to the statement, the police said “the affected area has been cordoned off to ensure public safety and facilitate emergency operations” shortly after the explosion.
The command disclosed that its response was carried out under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police.
On the number of casualties, the police stated that “five (5) persons lost their lives, while thirty-five (35) others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”
It added that the injured victims “have been evacuated to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) and the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, for medical treatment.”
The police further said early findings point to a suicide attack.
“Preliminary investigations further suggest that the incident may have been a suicide bombing, based on the recovery of fragments of a suspected suicide vest and witness statements recorded,” the command said, stressing that “investigations are ongoing to establish the exact cause and circumstances.”
The statement also confirmed continued security operations around the scene.
“The Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit is conducting thorough sweeping operations within and around the scene to rule out any secondary devices,” it said.