Maiduguri Explosion Deliberately Planned To Disrupt Tinubu’s UK State Visit – Defence Minister, Musa

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has asserted that the bomb explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State, which occurred in March 2026, were deliberately planned to disrupt President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the United Kingdom.

Naija News reports that Musa made the claim during an interview on Arise Television on Friday while speaking on the country’s security situation and efforts to combat terrorism.

Recall that Tinubu received criticism and backlash from many Nigerians and political elites over the UK state visit, despite the bombing in Maiduguri.

However, Musa said the intention behind the bombing was either to stop Tinubu from making the trip or to weaken his position while abroad.

He appealed to Nigerians not to allow themselves to be used to destabilise the country, noting that people who flee troubled nations often face discrimination abroad.

Speaking on his experiences in conflict-affected countries, including Sierra Leone and Liberia, the minister stressed the need for Nigerians to unite to address insecurity and prevent further violence.

He said, “In the past, you used to hear bombs exploding from here and there. You keep on hearing about vehicle-borne IED, body-borne IED, and all these things.

“You don’t hear them now. You hear them maybe once in a while here and there, and most of it is political.

“I can say the last ones that happened in Maidugri, Borno State, were meant to dissuade the President from visiting UK.

“It was deliberate, and if you look at it, who and why? What was the intent?

“The intent is to make sure that the president doesn’t go there (UK), or even if he goes there, he doesn’t have any leverage to want to speak.

“And to tell you that is intentional. People deliberately planned that and conducted that just to make that point. It’s very unfortunate but we want to appeal to Nigerians not to allow anybody to use them for whatever reason.

“Your country is your country. If you allow your country to get destroyed, you go to another person’s country, you’ll be a second-class citizen.

“We have seen it happen. I was in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and different places, war is not good. It’s important that we come together, address this issue and stop it.”