Panic spread across Maiduguri as a series of explosions erupted at the Giwa Barracks of the Nigerian Army around 11:30 pm on April 30, continuing into the early hours of the following day.
Thick smoke and raging fires billowed from the military facility, adding to the chaos and confusion among residents.
Military identifies extreme heat as cause of fire outbreak
According to PUNCH, the Theatre Commander of the Military Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Maj. Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, stated that intense heat triggered the fire outbreak, which led to the ammunition storage facility explosions.
“The explosion was due to the intense heat currently prevailing in Borno and other regions of the country, which had a direct impact on the storage facility,” Gen. Abubakar confirmed during a press briefing.
He acknowledged that the incident sparked widespread panic among the local populace as powerful blasts reverberated throughout the city.
Emergency response contained the fire
Military firefighters, along with the Federal Fire Service and the Borno State Fire Service Department, swiftly coordinated efforts to contain the fire.
Various security agencies also deployed fire-fighting vehicles to bring the situation under control.
Gen. Abubakar assured the public that residents in the immediate vicinity were relocated to ensure their safety as explosions raged through the barracks.
Army promises review of storage facilities
To prevent future incidents, the Nigerian Army pledged to conduct a comprehensive review of all ammunition storage facilities, ensuring they can withstand high temperatures.
Borno State has experienced intense heat over the past week, with temperatures soaring to 46°C, creating challenges for infrastructure and safety.
Impact of extreme heat
Extreme heat can pose serious risks to military storage facilities, especially those housing ammunition and explosives. High temperatures can accelerate chemical reactions, increasing the likelihood of spontaneous combustion or structural failures in storage units.
This can lead to dangerous incidents like uncontrolled explosions, as seen in Maiduguri. To mitigate such risks, military forces often implement heat-resistant storage solutions, conduct frequent inspections, and establish temperature regulation protocols to ensure safety.
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Army raises concerns over low enlistment rates
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Army has expressed concern over the low recruitment rates of youths from the South-east during its ongoing 2025 enlistment exercise.
Brigadier-General Chima Ekeator, leader of the Army Recruitment Enlightenment Team, disclosed on Friday that Enugu State had received only 100 applications out of 200 allocated slots, compared to over 3,000 applications from Kaduna State.
He emphasised that other South-east states faced similar challenges, warning that this trend could lead to missed opportunities for the region’s youth to fill their military quotas. Addressing misconceptions that South-east recruits are disproportionately sent to battlefronts, Brigadier-General Ekeator refuted such claims as baseless.
