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Bloomberg
03-06-2025
- General
- Bloomberg
Nigeria Attacks Surge as Islamic-State Affiliate Hits Army Bases
Islamist militants have ramped up an insurgency in northeastern Nigeria and attacked dozens of fortified army bases since the start of the year, setting back President Bola Tinubu's efforts to restore security in Africa's most-populous nation. There were 45 verified incidents in May, the most since the same month in 2020, data collated by risk-analysis company Seerist shows. Most were linked to a group known as Islamic State West Africa Province, or Iswap, an Islamic State affiliate that emerged in 2016. The most recent incursion was staged in the northeastern Borno state on May 26.
Free Malaysia Today
28-05-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Explosion leaves 8 anti-extremist soldiers dead in Nigeria
Violence from Nigeria's conflict has also spilled into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon. (EPA Images pic) KANO : Eight members of an anti-extremist militia assisting the Nigerian military were killed yesterday when their vehicle hit a landmine in northeastern Borno state, sources from the group told AFP. Members of the militia were returning to the regional capital Maiduguri from the town of Marte in the Lake Chad area, where they had helped to repel an extremist attack on a military base, the two sources said. 'Their vehicle hit the landmine while driving between the towns of Marte and Dikwa around 2pm, killing all eight of them onboard,' Babakura Kolo, an anti-extremist militia leader in the region, told AFP. In mid-May, fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) attacked a military base in Marte, a town in Borno state, killing four soldiers and seizing weapons before torching the facility. The victims of yesterday's attack were among a contingent of anti-extremist militia who remained in Marte to help troops guard the town, said Ibrahim Liman, another militia leader. Liman gave the same toll, saying the bodies of the victims were brought to Maiduguri, 90km away, and 'will be buried tomorrow morning'. The Nigerian military yesterday confirmed troops had thwarted an extremist attempt to 'infiltrate' the Marte base, resulting in the 'decimation of several fleeing terrorists' with air support. Two soldiers were killed in the incident, the military said in a statement. Iswap and rival Boko Haram have escalated attacks on communities in Borno and neighbouring Adamawa and Yobe states in recent months. They have also have intensified attacks on military bases, overrunning more than a dozen in two months, according to an AFP tally. The 16-year extremist conflict has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced around 2 million from their homes in the northeast, according to the United Nations. The violence has also spilled into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to fight the extremist groups.
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
How some residents dey live in fear under Boko Haram and Iswap control for Borno State
Some reports wey dey come from Borno State for northeast Nigeria don show say some local goment areas dey under Boko Haram and Iswap control. For weekend, Senator Ali Ndume yarn dis one for tori pipo for Abuja say three local goment areas currently dey under Boko Haram control. Di local goments na Gudumbari, Marte and Abadam. Recently, Borno State Govnor Babagana Zulum complain say Boko Haram and Iswap attacks don increase again for di state. E tok say federal goment gatz take action bifor di mata worse pass as e be now. Pipo wey dey live for dis places tell BBC News Pidgin say dem don dey under Boko Haram and Iswap control for over six years, and dem dey live inside fear evriday. One resident from Gudumbari wey no wan make we mention im name sake of security reason tell BBC News Pidgin say since 2018, dem never get any help from Nigerian military. E say dem dey under control of di terrorists afta dem attack and distroy military base wey suppose dey protect some villages for Gudumbari local goment. "Since 2018 wey dem scata di military base, about ten of our villages don fall under Boko Haram and Iswap control. "Now, na only Gudumbari headquarters still dey under military, but almost all di villages for di local goment dey under terrorists," e tok. E still add say, "Our pipo wey dey live for dia bin dey always dey fear sake of say di terrorists dey waka round time to time." E tok say Boko Haram and Iswap dey collect tax and food from pipo becos na farming di pipo sabi do. "From time to time, dem go come collect food, especially afta harvest. Dem go still collect tax from pipo hand." E tell BBC News Pidgin say sometimes dem dey punish pipo wey do anytin wey wrong. "If pesin do wrong, dem go punish am or flog am." E also tok say as e be now, nobodi fit waka comot from di local goment go Maiduguri sake of security wahala. "If you see anybodi wey dey comot from Maiduguri to Gudumbari, na either wit di govnor convoy or soldiers escort," e yarn. UK Supreme Court give legal definition of woman Ponzi schemes wey don crash for Nigeria in di last 10 years No civilian dey live for Abadam local goment For Abadam local goment, di mata worse sake of say nobodi dey live dia again due to security palava. One source tell BBC News Pidgin say almost no human being dey live dia apart from soldiers wey dey for di local goment headquarters. "Now, na only soldiers dey live for di main headquarters sake of say all di pipo don japa to save dia lives." "About half of di pipo for dat local goment don run go Niger Republic as refugees, odas scata go nearby states for Borno." Di source also tok say pipo no fit waka straight for road go Maiduguri again, dem gatz pass through Niger Republic. We no fit buy food stuff alone unless we dey travel wit soldiers For Marte local goment, pipo wey dey live dia don still run. According to one resident of di area, Babagana Ali, nobody dey live for di old Marte town again. "Up till now, nobody dey live for old Marte local goment. Some pipo now dey live for New Marte wey far like 12km from di old town." E tok say pipo for di area dey live in fear sake of say Boko Haram dey attack dem evri few months. "Pipo dey live inside fear sake of say from time to time, terrorists dey attack us for New Marte wia we dey now." E add say anoda kasala wey pipo dey face be say dem no fit waka go nearby town like Dikwa go buy food stuff. "Pipo no fit go buy food unless na month end, wen soldiers go use convoy escort dem." Di residents dey beg goment and oda pipo wey fit help to come bring beta peace to dia areas. Borno State don dey struggle wit security palava for more dan 10 years, and e claim so many lives and also force so many pipo to comot from dia homes.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nigerian governor: We are losing ground against Boko Haram
The governor of Nigeria's Borno state has warned that jihadist group Boko Haram is making a comeback after its fighters staged a series of attacks and seized control of some parts of the north-eastern state. Babagana Zulum called for more military assistance for soldiers fighting the insurgency. The Nigerian government has downplayed the governor's fears, saying security in the country has improved in the last 18 months. Borno state has been at the centre of a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram, which has forced more than two million people to flee their homes and killed more than 40,000. At the height of its insurgency in 2015, Boko Haram controlled huge areas in Borno state before being beaten back. The militant group gained international notoriety in April 2014 when it kidnapped more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, also in Borno state. In January, an ambush by the Boko Haram breakaway faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap), reportedly killed at least 20 Nigerian soldiers, while another attack in the same period left 40 farmers dead. Governor Zulum said it was disheartening that the group now attacked and kidnapped people in many communities almost on a daily basis. In a meeting with national security officials, he said that Borno State was "losing ground," against the jihadists. Security analysts say the concentration of soldiers in north-western Nigeria to deal with banditry and kidnappings has led to a reduction in the number of troops on the frontline with Boko Haram in Borno and other parts of the north-east. Hamisu Sani, another analyst told the BBC that it wouldn't be easy to defeat Boko Haram but it wasn't impossible. "No matter how our military weaken them, they can always regroup and will remain a threat," he said. "The solution would be to crush the fighters in their entirety - which is possible given the right support to our military." Nigerian make-up artist jailed for throwing cash at his wedding 'How I survived Nigeria attack that killed my 16 friends' Parents of Chibok girls heartbroken - again Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
