ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that a deadly explosion near a military facility in the capital on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, was the result of a failed suicide bombing.
According to a statement issued Tuesday, the blast occurred at approximately 1:47 p.m. local time when an individual wearing an improvised explosive device (IED) attempted to infiltrate the Mogadishu Army Cantonment along the Mararaba-Nyanya expressway, on the eastern edge of Abuja.
The device detonated during the attempt, killing the suspected bomber instantly and injuring a civilian bystander.
“Preliminary information indicated that the suicide bomber was attempting to gain unauthorized entry into the barracks when the IED detonated,” NEMA stated.
The injured civilian was quickly evacuated by officers from the Nigeria Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and taken to the National Hospital in Abuja for treatment.
Authorities have not yet released details about the victim’s condition.
The area surrounding the blast site was swiftly cordoned off by heavily armed security personnel.
NEMA said it deployed a rapid response team to the location shortly after the explosion was reported, and the operation was officially concluded by 5:29 p.m.
A multi-agency investigation into the incident is underway, led by forensic experts and involving officials from the military, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attempted attack.
While security in Abuja is typically tight, Monday’s incident has raised fresh concerns about the capital’s vulnerability to extremist violence.
Suicide bombings have become rare in the city in recent years, following a wave of attacks by Boko Haram and other insurgent groups earlier in the last decade.
Authorities have not disclosed further details about the bomber’s identity or affiliations, but say the investigation remains active.
The Defence Headquarters has yet to issue an official statement.
