Nigeria’s Borno State is facing a deepening insurgency, largely blamed on militants. In recent months, a wave of attacks has overwhelmed security forces, leaving local authorities struggling to respond. Officials are now calling on the central government to take urgent action to curb the growing threat.
Showing posts with label Violence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Violence. Show all posts
Monday, June 2, 2025
Video - Militants escalate attacks in Northeast Nigeria
Nigeria’s Borno State is facing a deepening insurgency, largely blamed on militants. In recent months, a wave of attacks has overwhelmed security forces, leaving local authorities struggling to respond. Officials are now calling on the central government to take urgent action to curb the growing threat.
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Mounting death toll and looming humanitarian crisis amid unchecked attacks by armed groups in Nigeria
The Nigerian authorities’ shocking failure to protect lives and property from daily attacks by armed groups and bandits has cost thousands of lives and created a potential humanitarian crisis across many northern states, said Amnesty International.
A new investigation shows that, in the two years since the current government has been in power, at least 10,217 people have been killed in attacks by gunmen in Benue, Edo, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau Sokoto and Zamfara state. Benue state accounts for the highest death toll of 6,896, followed by Plateau state, where 2,630 people were killed.
“Today marks exactly two years since President Bola Tinubu assumed office with a promise to enhance security. Instead, things have only gotten worse, as the authorities continue to fail to protect the rights to life, physical integrity, liberty and the security of tens of thousands of people across the country,” said Isa Sanusi, Director Amnesty International Nigeria.
“President Tinubu must fulfill his promises to Nigerians and urgently address the resurgence of the nation’s endemic security crisis. The recent escalation of attacks by Boko Haram and other armed groups shows that the security measures implemented by President Tinubu’s government are simply not working.”
In the two years since President Bola Tinubu’s government assumed power, new armed groups have emerged including Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi state, and Mamuda in Kwara state, while hundreds of villages have been sacked by gunmen in Benue, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau and Zamfara.
A new investigation shows that, in the two years since the current government has been in power, at least 10,217 people have been killed in attacks by gunmen in Benue, Edo, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau Sokoto and Zamfara state. Benue state accounts for the highest death toll of 6,896, followed by Plateau state, where 2,630 people were killed.
“Today marks exactly two years since President Bola Tinubu assumed office with a promise to enhance security. Instead, things have only gotten worse, as the authorities continue to fail to protect the rights to life, physical integrity, liberty and the security of tens of thousands of people across the country,” said Isa Sanusi, Director Amnesty International Nigeria.
“President Tinubu must fulfill his promises to Nigerians and urgently address the resurgence of the nation’s endemic security crisis. The recent escalation of attacks by Boko Haram and other armed groups shows that the security measures implemented by President Tinubu’s government are simply not working.”
In the two years since President Bola Tinubu’s government assumed power, new armed groups have emerged including Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi state, and Mamuda in Kwara state, while hundreds of villages have been sacked by gunmen in Benue, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau and Zamfara.
Mounting death toll
Since 29 May 2023, hundreds of people have been killed in rural areas where, our research since 2020 shows, a total absence of governance has given gunmen and criminal groups a free hand to commit atrocities.
Our investigation verified the killing of over 294 people in Katsina state and documented the abduction of 306 people, mostly women and girls, between May 2023 to May 2025.
In Zamfara state, attacks have occurred daily, with multiple attacks sometimes taking place in a single day. In the last two years, over 273 people have been killed and 467 people abducted. Since the beginning of the security crisis, bandits have sacked 638 villages across while 725 villages are under the control of bandits, across 13 local governments of Zamfara state.
Maru local government area also witnessed escalating attacks, including one on a mining site at Gobirawar Chali on 24 April 2025 in which over 20 miners were killed. The emergence of Lakurawa opened a new frontier of bloodshed in Kebbi state where at least 70 people were killed in 22 attacks.
Since 29 May 2023, hundreds of people have been killed in rural areas where, our research since 2020 shows, a total absence of governance has given gunmen and criminal groups a free hand to commit atrocities.
Our investigation verified the killing of over 294 people in Katsina state and documented the abduction of 306 people, mostly women and girls, between May 2023 to May 2025.
In Zamfara state, attacks have occurred daily, with multiple attacks sometimes taking place in a single day. In the last two years, over 273 people have been killed and 467 people abducted. Since the beginning of the security crisis, bandits have sacked 638 villages across while 725 villages are under the control of bandits, across 13 local governments of Zamfara state.
Maru local government area also witnessed escalating attacks, including one on a mining site at Gobirawar Chali on 24 April 2025 in which over 20 miners were killed. The emergence of Lakurawa opened a new frontier of bloodshed in Kebbi state where at least 70 people were killed in 22 attacks.
Impunity in Benue and Plateau
The attacks in Benue and Plateau state were particularly vicious. During the 3 April attack on Bokkos local government of Plateau state, many people including children and entire families were brutally killed. In Benue state, the gunmen, ensured that after killing people, they also destroy bore holes, clinics and schools. During the attacks on communities in Ukum and Logo local government Amnesty International gathered evidence that grain reserves and places of worship were also destroyed.
Amnesty International’s findings show that all 23 local government areas of Benue state suffered such attacks, with more frequent attacks on Ukum, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Gwer West, Gwer East, Apa and Agatu local government areas. Over 200 villages have been sacked by gunmen across Benue state.
These attacks have triggered a wave of displacement with 450,000 people documented as internally displaced people.
In Plateau state, armed herders carried out 38 attacks. Between 27 March and 2 April 2025, coordinated attacks took place against five communities: Daffo, Gwande, Hurti, Manguna, and Ruwi in Bokkos local government. In the past two years, 167 rural communities were attacked in Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Jos East, Jos South, Mangu, Riyom and Wase local government areas.
As a result of these attacks, 65,000 people have been internally displaced. Some communities, in both Benue and Plateau, have been displaced more than once, after IDP camps were also attacked.
The attacks in Benue and Plateau state were particularly vicious. During the 3 April attack on Bokkos local government of Plateau state, many people including children and entire families were brutally killed. In Benue state, the gunmen, ensured that after killing people, they also destroy bore holes, clinics and schools. During the attacks on communities in Ukum and Logo local government Amnesty International gathered evidence that grain reserves and places of worship were also destroyed.
Amnesty International’s findings show that all 23 local government areas of Benue state suffered such attacks, with more frequent attacks on Ukum, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Gwer West, Gwer East, Apa and Agatu local government areas. Over 200 villages have been sacked by gunmen across Benue state.
These attacks have triggered a wave of displacement with 450,000 people documented as internally displaced people.
In Plateau state, armed herders carried out 38 attacks. Between 27 March and 2 April 2025, coordinated attacks took place against five communities: Daffo, Gwande, Hurti, Manguna, and Ruwi in Bokkos local government. In the past two years, 167 rural communities were attacked in Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Jos East, Jos South, Mangu, Riyom and Wase local government areas.
As a result of these attacks, 65,000 people have been internally displaced. Some communities, in both Benue and Plateau, have been displaced more than once, after IDP camps were also attacked.
Looming humanitarian crisis
The majority, if not all of those affected by these attacks, are farmers, whose displacement means they can no longer cultivate their farms. This is causing a looming humanitarian crisis. The majority of those displaced in Plateau and Katsina states told Amnesty International that they had to resort to begging to survive daily life. At Dangulbi district of Zamfara state, farmers have to watch their harvest of sweet potatoes rot because bandits have prevented them from transporting them to the nearest market.
“These attacks deprive people of their right to life while the survivors are deprived of their livelihood,” said Isa Sanusi.
Between 9 and 11 May, gunmen sacked four villages of Isa local government area of Sokoto state. The affected communities are: Bafarawa, Gebe, Kamarawa, Garin Fadama and Haruwai. People of these villages are now displaced and struggle to feed daily.
Residents of villages in Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina states told Amnesty International that gunmen also impose levies on them via phone calls, with the warning that failure to pay by a given deadline will be punished with death.
On the response of the Nigerian authorities, a resident of Maru local government Zamfara state told Amnesty International: “The only relationship between us and the government is that they issue media statements after we are attacked and killed. That is all they do. When the next attack comes, they will issue another empty statement, while bandits escalate their atrocities. We are helpless.”
Under international human rights law, the authorities have obligation to protect lives and ensure that those suspected of perpetrating these killings are held to account, as well as to provide victims with access to justice and effective remedies. Again and again, the Nigerian authorities are failing to live up to these obligations.
“Authorities must move swiftly to match their words with serious and concrete action to guarantee the human rights of everyone in Nigeria if they are to be taken seriously on their oft-expressed commitment to stop the killings, violence, abductions and other human rights crimes in several parts of the country.”
“The authorities’ failure to hold suspected perpetrators accountable is fueling a cycle of impunity that is making everyone feel unsafe. Time is running out, as gunmen, bandits and insurgents are ramping up attacks daily. The nationwide bloodshed must end now,” said Isa Sanusi.
The majority, if not all of those affected by these attacks, are farmers, whose displacement means they can no longer cultivate their farms. This is causing a looming humanitarian crisis. The majority of those displaced in Plateau and Katsina states told Amnesty International that they had to resort to begging to survive daily life. At Dangulbi district of Zamfara state, farmers have to watch their harvest of sweet potatoes rot because bandits have prevented them from transporting them to the nearest market.
“These attacks deprive people of their right to life while the survivors are deprived of their livelihood,” said Isa Sanusi.
Between 9 and 11 May, gunmen sacked four villages of Isa local government area of Sokoto state. The affected communities are: Bafarawa, Gebe, Kamarawa, Garin Fadama and Haruwai. People of these villages are now displaced and struggle to feed daily.
Residents of villages in Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina states told Amnesty International that gunmen also impose levies on them via phone calls, with the warning that failure to pay by a given deadline will be punished with death.
On the response of the Nigerian authorities, a resident of Maru local government Zamfara state told Amnesty International: “The only relationship between us and the government is that they issue media statements after we are attacked and killed. That is all they do. When the next attack comes, they will issue another empty statement, while bandits escalate their atrocities. We are helpless.”
Under international human rights law, the authorities have obligation to protect lives and ensure that those suspected of perpetrating these killings are held to account, as well as to provide victims with access to justice and effective remedies. Again and again, the Nigerian authorities are failing to live up to these obligations.
“Authorities must move swiftly to match their words with serious and concrete action to guarantee the human rights of everyone in Nigeria if they are to be taken seriously on their oft-expressed commitment to stop the killings, violence, abductions and other human rights crimes in several parts of the country.”
“The authorities’ failure to hold suspected perpetrators accountable is fueling a cycle of impunity that is making everyone feel unsafe. Time is running out, as gunmen, bandits and insurgents are ramping up attacks daily. The nationwide bloodshed must end now,” said Isa Sanusi.
Background
Amnesty International Nigeria has been monitoring the banditry attacks and clashes by herders and farmers since 2016 and, in 2020, investigated the authorities’ failure to protect rural communities from attacks.
Amnesty International Nigeria has been monitoring the banditry attacks and clashes by herders and farmers since 2016 and, in 2020, investigated the authorities’ failure to protect rural communities from attacks.
Monday, May 19, 2025
Militant attack on 2 villages in northeast Nigeria kills at least 57, witnesses say
A suspected militant attack on two villages in Nigeria left at least 57 people dead and at least 70 missing on Thursday, witnesses said Sunday, in one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s conflict-ridden northeast this year.
Abdulrahman Ibrahim survived Thursday’s attack on two villages in Baga in Borno State and participated in the burial of the dead. He told The Associated Press that the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) faction of the militant group Boko Haram gathered more than 100 residents of the neighboring villages of Mallam Karamti and Kwatandashi and marched them into the bush. Later on Saturday, 57 bodies were recovered there.
A spokesperson for the Borno government said he could not confirm the casualty counts. The Nigerian military did not respond to a request for comment.
According to Ibrahim, who is from Mallam Karamti, and another survivor from Kwatandashi who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, the villagers were accused of acting as informants for the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Although ISWAP has gained notoriety for targeting military personnel and assets, the JAS faction has increasingly resorted to attacking civilians and perceived collaborators and thrives on robberies and abductions for ransom.
“Without the capacity to attack the military like ISWAP, JAS is focused on terrorizing civilians,” said Malik Samuel, an expert on northern Nigeria’s conflicts with nonprofit Good Governance Africa.
The witnesses said burial of the victims was delayed because the military was unavailable to provide support in conducting searches for bodies. Most of the dead victims were found with their throats slit, but others had been shot, the locals said.
“There are probably more bodies because we had to stop further searches with soldiers out of fear of an ambush,” Ibrahim said. More than 70 are still missing, he said.
The mass killing came during a week of intensifying violence in Borno. On Monday, ISWAP militants overran the 50 Task Force Battalion of the Nigerian Army stationed in Marte, seizing arms and ammunition after a deadly assault that killed several soldiers, according to videos shared on social media by soldiers who survived the attack.
Following the attack on Marte, displaced people camped there fled to nearby Dikwa, a humanitarian hub where aid groups are pulling out due to international funding cuts.
In a separate incident on Saturday afternoon, a roadside bomb detonated along the Maiduguri-Damboa road, the second such attack in a week. Three people died at the scene, and a fourth succumbed to injuries Sunday morning at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). More than 10 others were still being treated for injuries at the hospital, a local resident, Lawan Bukar Maigana, who has assisted the community in emergencies, said.
Since 2009, the Boko Haram insurgency has created a humanitarian disaster in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad, with more than 35,000 people killed and 2.6 million others displaced over the last 15 years. Borno in Nigeria, its birthplace, is the worst-affected.
They want to install an Islamic state across the four countries, with Nigeria as their main target. The country is West Africa’s oil giant with more than 200 million people, divided almost equally between a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north.
The Nigerian government has claimed progress against the insurgency, but the militants continue to attack civilians and military and have expanded into other regions, including central Nigeria where the capital Abuja is located, according to experts and public records on counterterrorism.
Abdulrahman Ibrahim survived Thursday’s attack on two villages in Baga in Borno State and participated in the burial of the dead. He told The Associated Press that the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) faction of the militant group Boko Haram gathered more than 100 residents of the neighboring villages of Mallam Karamti and Kwatandashi and marched them into the bush. Later on Saturday, 57 bodies were recovered there.
A spokesperson for the Borno government said he could not confirm the casualty counts. The Nigerian military did not respond to a request for comment.
According to Ibrahim, who is from Mallam Karamti, and another survivor from Kwatandashi who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, the villagers were accused of acting as informants for the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Although ISWAP has gained notoriety for targeting military personnel and assets, the JAS faction has increasingly resorted to attacking civilians and perceived collaborators and thrives on robberies and abductions for ransom.
“Without the capacity to attack the military like ISWAP, JAS is focused on terrorizing civilians,” said Malik Samuel, an expert on northern Nigeria’s conflicts with nonprofit Good Governance Africa.
The witnesses said burial of the victims was delayed because the military was unavailable to provide support in conducting searches for bodies. Most of the dead victims were found with their throats slit, but others had been shot, the locals said.
“There are probably more bodies because we had to stop further searches with soldiers out of fear of an ambush,” Ibrahim said. More than 70 are still missing, he said.
The mass killing came during a week of intensifying violence in Borno. On Monday, ISWAP militants overran the 50 Task Force Battalion of the Nigerian Army stationed in Marte, seizing arms and ammunition after a deadly assault that killed several soldiers, according to videos shared on social media by soldiers who survived the attack.
Following the attack on Marte, displaced people camped there fled to nearby Dikwa, a humanitarian hub where aid groups are pulling out due to international funding cuts.
In a separate incident on Saturday afternoon, a roadside bomb detonated along the Maiduguri-Damboa road, the second such attack in a week. Three people died at the scene, and a fourth succumbed to injuries Sunday morning at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). More than 10 others were still being treated for injuries at the hospital, a local resident, Lawan Bukar Maigana, who has assisted the community in emergencies, said.
Since 2009, the Boko Haram insurgency has created a humanitarian disaster in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad, with more than 35,000 people killed and 2.6 million others displaced over the last 15 years. Borno in Nigeria, its birthplace, is the worst-affected.
They want to install an Islamic state across the four countries, with Nigeria as their main target. The country is West Africa’s oil giant with more than 200 million people, divided almost equally between a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north.
The Nigerian government has claimed progress against the insurgency, but the militants continue to attack civilians and military and have expanded into other regions, including central Nigeria where the capital Abuja is located, according to experts and public records on counterterrorism.
By Taiwo Adebayo, AP
Monday, May 12, 2025
At least 23 killed in attacks by gunmen in central Nigeria
Gunmen killed 23 people in four separate attacks in central Nigeria's Benue state, a Red Cross official said Sunday, the latest flare-up of unrest in the region.
The attacks happened Saturday night in four villages.
Clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farmers over land use are common in central Nigeria.
"Reports from the field have confirmed the killings of at least 23 people from different attacks," Red Cross secretary in Benue state Anthony Abah told AFP.
Eight people were killed in Ukum, nine in nearby Logo, three each in Guma and Kwande, he said, citing data from the organisation's field disaster officers. Several others were wounded, he added.
A police spokeswoman said she was unaware of the attacks.
Cephas Kangeh, a retired general manager with a state electricity company who recently relocated to his home village near one of the affected areas told AFP he had heard of three killings, including a couple ambushed while riding a motorcycle which "was taken away by the herdsmen".
Chinese operators are mining gold in the area, he said.
"The attacks did not take place near the mining sites," said Kangeh.
"However, one is puzzled as to why indigenous people are always attacked, maimed... yet there has never been a single case of attack on the Chinese miners who are operating in these areas."
Some of the latest attacks were staged in areas previously targeted by attacks slightly over a month ago, which left at least 56 dead.
With many herders belonging to the Muslim Fulani ethnic group, and many farmers Christian, the attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension.
Two attacks by unidentified gunmen earlier in April in neighbouring Plateau state left more than 100 people dead.
Across the wider Middle Belt, including in Benue, land used by farmers and herders is coming under stress from climate change and human expansion, sparking deadly competition for increasingly limited space.
The attacks happened Saturday night in four villages.
Clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farmers over land use are common in central Nigeria.
"Reports from the field have confirmed the killings of at least 23 people from different attacks," Red Cross secretary in Benue state Anthony Abah told AFP.
Eight people were killed in Ukum, nine in nearby Logo, three each in Guma and Kwande, he said, citing data from the organisation's field disaster officers. Several others were wounded, he added.
A police spokeswoman said she was unaware of the attacks.
Cephas Kangeh, a retired general manager with a state electricity company who recently relocated to his home village near one of the affected areas told AFP he had heard of three killings, including a couple ambushed while riding a motorcycle which "was taken away by the herdsmen".
Chinese operators are mining gold in the area, he said.
"The attacks did not take place near the mining sites," said Kangeh.
"However, one is puzzled as to why indigenous people are always attacked, maimed... yet there has never been a single case of attack on the Chinese miners who are operating in these areas."
Some of the latest attacks were staged in areas previously targeted by attacks slightly over a month ago, which left at least 56 dead.
With many herders belonging to the Muslim Fulani ethnic group, and many farmers Christian, the attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension.
Two attacks by unidentified gunmen earlier in April in neighbouring Plateau state left more than 100 people dead.
Across the wider Middle Belt, including in Benue, land used by farmers and herders is coming under stress from climate change and human expansion, sparking deadly competition for increasingly limited space.
Monday, May 5, 2025
Video - Nigerian President Tinubu concerned by escalating violence in country
Rising incidents of violence in Nigeria’s north-east and north-central regions has caught the attention of President Bola Tinubu. On Wednesday, the head of state summoned the country's security chiefs and ordered them to immediately arrest the situation. Dozens of people were killed in militant attacks in Nigeria in April.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Attack leaves at least 40 people dead in Nigeria
Nigeria's president said on Monday that at least 40 people were killed when Muslim gunmen, believed to be herders, attacked a Christian farming community in the north-central part of the country, the latest in an increasing wave of violence in the West African country.
President Bola Tinubu also said he has ordered an investigation over the late Sunday night attack on the Zike community, extending his condolences to the victims and their families.
"I have instructed security agencies to thoroughly investigate this crisis and identify those responsible for orchestrating these violent acts," Tinubu said in a statement late Monday.
Amnesty International said the victims, who included children and the elderly, were taken by surprise and could not flee from the gunmen.
Such attacks have become common in this part of Africa's most populous country, where gunmen — typically herders from Fulani, a Muslim tribe — exploit security lapses to launch deadly raids on farmers in a fight over land resources.
According to Andy Yakubu, a local resident, gunmen in Sunday night's attack also destroyed and looted homes in the Zike community, located in the Bassa area of Plateau state.
Yakubu said he saw bodies after the attack and that the number of dead could exceed 50. No one has been arrested so far, he added.
The Fulani have been accused of carrying out mass killings across the northwest and central regions, where the decades-long conflict over access to land and water has further worsened the divisions between farmers and herders, Christians and Muslims.
Amnesty says that between December 2023 and February 2024, 1,336 people were killed in Plateau state — an indication that the measures taken by Tinubu's administration to curb the violence are not working.
Samuel Jugo, spokesperson of the Irigwe Development Association, an ethnic organization in the Bassa area, said in a statement on Monday that at least 75 people of the Irigwe, a Christian ethnic group, have been killed since December 2024.
Jugo said that despite deployment of additional security forces to the area, violence still occurs and described the latest assault as "very provocative, vexing and undeserving."
In May 2024, armed men attacked remote villages in Plateau, killing at least 40 people during a late-night raid.
The violence over land resources in north-central Nigeria is separate from the battles with Boko Haram, Nigeria's homegrown jihadis who took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law. That conflict, now Africa's longest struggle with militancy, has also spilled into Nigeria's northern neighbors.
President Bola Tinubu also said he has ordered an investigation over the late Sunday night attack on the Zike community, extending his condolences to the victims and their families.
"I have instructed security agencies to thoroughly investigate this crisis and identify those responsible for orchestrating these violent acts," Tinubu said in a statement late Monday.
Amnesty International said the victims, who included children and the elderly, were taken by surprise and could not flee from the gunmen.
Such attacks have become common in this part of Africa's most populous country, where gunmen — typically herders from Fulani, a Muslim tribe — exploit security lapses to launch deadly raids on farmers in a fight over land resources.
According to Andy Yakubu, a local resident, gunmen in Sunday night's attack also destroyed and looted homes in the Zike community, located in the Bassa area of Plateau state.
Yakubu said he saw bodies after the attack and that the number of dead could exceed 50. No one has been arrested so far, he added.
The Fulani have been accused of carrying out mass killings across the northwest and central regions, where the decades-long conflict over access to land and water has further worsened the divisions between farmers and herders, Christians and Muslims.
Amnesty says that between December 2023 and February 2024, 1,336 people were killed in Plateau state — an indication that the measures taken by Tinubu's administration to curb the violence are not working.
Samuel Jugo, spokesperson of the Irigwe Development Association, an ethnic organization in the Bassa area, said in a statement on Monday that at least 75 people of the Irigwe, a Christian ethnic group, have been killed since December 2024.
Jugo said that despite deployment of additional security forces to the area, violence still occurs and described the latest assault as "very provocative, vexing and undeserving."
In May 2024, armed men attacked remote villages in Plateau, killing at least 40 people during a late-night raid.
The violence over land resources in north-central Nigeria is separate from the battles with Boko Haram, Nigeria's homegrown jihadis who took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law. That conflict, now Africa's longest struggle with militancy, has also spilled into Nigeria's northern neighbors.
Monday, April 14, 2025
Video - Boko Haram attacks on military formations concern Nigerian authorities
Boko Haram launched a wave of attacks on military bases in Nigeria's Borno State. Governor Babagana Zulum responded with a call for aggressive military action, warning the group may be regrouping and retaking territory. Officials said the renewed violence could derail efforts to resettle displaced residents.
Monday, March 31, 2025
12 killed in clash between Nigerian troops and anti-Israel Quds Day protesters
The Nigerian military on Sunday accused “outrageously violent” protesters at a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel procession in the capital Abuja of opening fire at security forces on Friday, triggering violence that killed 12 people.
According to a government intelligence report seen by AFP, 11 protesters and one soldier were killed in the clash at the demonstration against Israel amid the Gaza war that was sparked by the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023.
The protest was held Friday in Abuja by the Iran-linked Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). Supporters of the banned Shiite movement had gathered for International Quds Day — the last Friday of Ramadan, when rallies are held across the Muslim world in support of Palestinians.
Amnesty International’s Nigeria branch said soldiers fired live rounds at protesters as a form of crowd control — events the military disputed.
“The protesters threw decorum to the wind, became outrageously violent by firing at and attempting to overrun security operatives deployed at anticipated flash points,” Nigerian army spokesman Major General Onyema Nwachukwu told AFP.
“Sadly, in the exchange of fire that ensued as the troops defended themselves, one soldier was killed in action while two were wounded.”
The IMN has been outlawed by Nigerian authorities for advocating an Islamic revolution in the West African nation. However, at the time of its banning, in 2019, researchers characterized it as more interested in protest than political violence.
In August, an attack by IMN members killed two law enforcement officers, police said.
According to a government intelligence report seen by AFP, 11 protesters and one soldier were killed in the clash at the demonstration against Israel amid the Gaza war that was sparked by the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023.
The protest was held Friday in Abuja by the Iran-linked Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). Supporters of the banned Shiite movement had gathered for International Quds Day — the last Friday of Ramadan, when rallies are held across the Muslim world in support of Palestinians.
Amnesty International’s Nigeria branch said soldiers fired live rounds at protesters as a form of crowd control — events the military disputed.
“The protesters threw decorum to the wind, became outrageously violent by firing at and attempting to overrun security operatives deployed at anticipated flash points,” Nigerian army spokesman Major General Onyema Nwachukwu told AFP.
“Sadly, in the exchange of fire that ensued as the troops defended themselves, one soldier was killed in action while two were wounded.”
The IMN has been outlawed by Nigerian authorities for advocating an Islamic revolution in the West African nation. However, at the time of its banning, in 2019, researchers characterized it as more interested in protest than political violence.
In August, an attack by IMN members killed two law enforcement officers, police said.
Disputed events
After Friday’s protest, the IMN said on social media that the Nigerian Army “attacked the procession and several people sustained gunshot injuries,” without giving a toll.
The intelligence report said 19 people were injured and 295 others arrested. A soldier was also injured.
Sharing a video of an arrested protester being hit by security forces, Amnesty International Nigeria described the protesters as “perfectly within their rights to hold a religious procession,” adding: “There was no evidence they posed an imminent threat to life.”
It also accused the military of a history of “extrajudicial executions” against the group.
The intelligence report described the waving of flags at the protest as undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty.
In July 2021, after more than five years in prison, IMN leader Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife were released by a court in Kaduna, in the north of the country.
A Shiite cleric, Zakzaky has repeatedly called for an Iranian-style Islamic revolution in Nigeria, where the Muslim population is predominantly Sunni.
Inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran in the late 1970s, the IMN still maintains close ties with the Iranian government, which backs Hamas and is sworn to destroy Israel.
After Friday’s protest, the IMN said on social media that the Nigerian Army “attacked the procession and several people sustained gunshot injuries,” without giving a toll.
The intelligence report said 19 people were injured and 295 others arrested. A soldier was also injured.
Sharing a video of an arrested protester being hit by security forces, Amnesty International Nigeria described the protesters as “perfectly within their rights to hold a religious procession,” adding: “There was no evidence they posed an imminent threat to life.”
It also accused the military of a history of “extrajudicial executions” against the group.
The intelligence report described the waving of flags at the protest as undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty.
In July 2021, after more than five years in prison, IMN leader Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife were released by a court in Kaduna, in the north of the country.
A Shiite cleric, Zakzaky has repeatedly called for an Iranian-style Islamic revolution in Nigeria, where the Muslim population is predominantly Sunni.
Inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran in the late 1970s, the IMN still maintains close ties with the Iranian government, which backs Hamas and is sworn to destroy Israel.
Monday, February 17, 2025
Video - Nigerians in Chad return home a decade after fleeing insurgent violence
The repatriation is being coordinated by the Borno state government, Chad and the UN High Commission for Refugees. This is following an agreement signed last week in Chad's Lac province.
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Five sentenced to death in Nigeria over 'witchcraft' murder
Five men have been sentenced to death by hanging in Nigeria's Kano state for the 2023 murder of a woman they accused of witchcraft.
The convicted men attacked Dahare Abubakar, 67, as she was working on her farm, beating and stabbing her to death.
Ms Abubakar's family went to the authorities and the suspects were swiftly arrested in a village 45km (28 miles) from Kano - the largest city in northern Nigeria.
The case gained attention across the country and raised discussions over how people in rural areas continue to be murdered following witchcraft accusations.
The ones who make the claims without any proof believe that those they accuse are responsible for either a death of a family member, sickness or misfortune.
Giving his ruling, Judge Usman Na'abba said the the prosecution had proven its case against the five men beyond reasonable doubt.
The prosecutor, Abba Sorondiki, said he hoped the judgement would deter others from making wrongful accusations and then taking matters into their own hands.
The court heard that the victim was murdered after the sick wife of one of the accused, Abdulaziz Yahaya, had a dream that she was being pursued by Ms Abubakar, who was holding a knife.
Yahaya then organised a group to confront Ms Abubakar, which resulted in her murder.
"There have been similar cases like this but this is the first time we are seeing up to five people sentenced to death for murder over wrongful witchcraft accusation," Mr Sorondiki told the BBC.
The victim's son, Musa Yahaya, said that the day his mother was killed was the worst day of his life and that he was pleased to see justice being served.
"I am happy because they would get the same treatment they meted out to my mother," he said.
Defence lawyer Ma'aruf Yakasai said his clients plan to appeal against the verdict.
The death penalty is rarely carried out in Nigeria and those convicted often spend the rest of their lives in prison on death row.
By Mansur Abubakar, BBC
The convicted men attacked Dahare Abubakar, 67, as she was working on her farm, beating and stabbing her to death.
Ms Abubakar's family went to the authorities and the suspects were swiftly arrested in a village 45km (28 miles) from Kano - the largest city in northern Nigeria.
The case gained attention across the country and raised discussions over how people in rural areas continue to be murdered following witchcraft accusations.
The ones who make the claims without any proof believe that those they accuse are responsible for either a death of a family member, sickness or misfortune.
Giving his ruling, Judge Usman Na'abba said the the prosecution had proven its case against the five men beyond reasonable doubt.
The prosecutor, Abba Sorondiki, said he hoped the judgement would deter others from making wrongful accusations and then taking matters into their own hands.
The court heard that the victim was murdered after the sick wife of one of the accused, Abdulaziz Yahaya, had a dream that she was being pursued by Ms Abubakar, who was holding a knife.
Yahaya then organised a group to confront Ms Abubakar, which resulted in her murder.
"There have been similar cases like this but this is the first time we are seeing up to five people sentenced to death for murder over wrongful witchcraft accusation," Mr Sorondiki told the BBC.
The victim's son, Musa Yahaya, said that the day his mother was killed was the worst day of his life and that he was pleased to see justice being served.
"I am happy because they would get the same treatment they meted out to my mother," he said.
Defence lawyer Ma'aruf Yakasai said his clients plan to appeal against the verdict.
The death penalty is rarely carried out in Nigeria and those convicted often spend the rest of their lives in prison on death row.
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Nigerians mourn woman allegedly beheaded by gospel singer
Nigerians on social media are mourning the death of a woman who was allegedly beheaded by a man reported to be her boyfriend in Nasarawa state.
Police arrested Timileyin Ajayi, a gospel singer, on Sunday with the severed head of his victim, 24-year-old Salome Adaidu, near a church.
He is alleged to have been carrying the head in a bag which drew attention from other people who accosted him before police took over and arrested him.
Other dismembered parts of the deceased's body were alleged to be have been recovered later in his home.
Mr Ajayi has not commented on the allegations.
"The suspect was found with a fresh human head, and when we got to the scene, we rescued him from being mobbed," Nasarawa police spokesman Ramhan Nansel was quoted by the Punch news website as saying.
The deceased was identified as a member of the National Youth Service Corps who was serving in the federal capital, Abuja.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing, the police said.
Ms Adaidu's family has urged the Nigerian government to thoroughly investigate and prosecute those responsible for her death.
A friend of the deceased, Abby Simon, told BBC Pidgin that it was a sad experience for Ms Adaidu's mum who lost her husband only seven months ago. She said the mother had fainted from the shock of losing her daughter.
She also said the deceased was not in a relationship with the suspect.
"Nobody deserves to die this way. Even if she was his girlfriend, she didn't deserve to die this way," she said.
The deceased's sister, Patience Adaidu, told local TV outlet News Central that she was disappointed at the way the police were handling the case and called for help from Nigerians.
"Police have not given us any information about my sister... They have not answered our questions... We demand justice, we need help from Nigerians."
Nigerians on social media have been sending messages of support following the incident.
"RIP Salome Adaidu. Your killer will never have rest even after death," Avni James said.
Amara Josephine said on X: "That gruesome image of that young lady saddens my heart. I pray for her family."
Thursday, December 19, 2024
More than 2 million kidnapped in Nigeria in one year
Security officials in Nigeria are raising concerns after a National Bureau of Statistics survey revealed that more than 2 million people were kidnapped in the West African nation between May 2023 and April 2024, and that Nigerians paid a cumulative $1.42 billion to kidnappers within the same period.
The NBS released its Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey 2024 on Tuesday. The report said some 600,000 Nigerians were killed and 2.2 million others abducted across the country between May 2023 and April 2024.
Armed gangs, known locally as bandits, were mostly responsible for the escalation of violence in northwest and north central Nigeria, while terror-related violence was reported in the northeast region of Nigeria.
The report said 91% of the kidnappings were attributed to ransom demands, while other cases were due to political, criminal or terrorist motives. It also said Nigerians spent $1.4 billion cumulatively to free their loved ones from kidnappers at an average of $1,700 per incident.
Security analyst Senator Iroegbu said the report is no surprise.
"The figure is not surprising. The only difference is that the media focus has shifted, and that's what makes it look as if it [insecurity] has reduced,” Iroegbu said. “So, this report has brought back to light what is going on."
According to the NBS report, 82.1% of the kidnapped victims were released, 12.8% were killed, 3.3% remained in captivity and the outcome of about 1.3% of victims was unknown.
The report comes amid growing security concerns in Africa's most populous nation already struggling to curb a range of insecurities that have stretched the security forces thin.
It also revealed that nearly seven out of 10 households in Nigeria reported murder cases to the police within the same period.
Security analyst Saheed Shehu said the trend is worrying.
"These figures should serve as a yardstick as a baseline for the president and commander-in-chief to hold his military, police, accountable,” Shehu said. “The figures should serve as a tool to hold the leaders of the security agencies accountable. We should not just be reading figures and then wait for the end of 2025 to release another figure."
In November, Nigeria announced the discovery of a new terror group known as Lakurawa but said security forces were already on their trail.
Two weeks ago, Nigerian defense authorities said the military killed a total of 8,000 terrorists and apprehended over 11,000 suspects and rescued over 6,000 victims between January and December.
But Shehu is skeptical.
"This report coming from the National Bureau of Statistics — to be honest, it makes me to be at a quandary whether the reports we're getting from security agencies of successes ... it does not balance with this report,” Shehu said. “So, something must be wrong somewhere."
Improving security is a major challenge for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government as it desperately seeks to attract foreign investments to grow the country's struggling economy.
Nigeria allocated about $4 billion, or 12% of this year's budget, to defense and security — the largest single allocation to any sector.
By Timothy Obiezu, VOA
The NBS released its Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey 2024 on Tuesday. The report said some 600,000 Nigerians were killed and 2.2 million others abducted across the country between May 2023 and April 2024.
Armed gangs, known locally as bandits, were mostly responsible for the escalation of violence in northwest and north central Nigeria, while terror-related violence was reported in the northeast region of Nigeria.
The report said 91% of the kidnappings were attributed to ransom demands, while other cases were due to political, criminal or terrorist motives. It also said Nigerians spent $1.4 billion cumulatively to free their loved ones from kidnappers at an average of $1,700 per incident.
Security analyst Senator Iroegbu said the report is no surprise.
"The figure is not surprising. The only difference is that the media focus has shifted, and that's what makes it look as if it [insecurity] has reduced,” Iroegbu said. “So, this report has brought back to light what is going on."
According to the NBS report, 82.1% of the kidnapped victims were released, 12.8% were killed, 3.3% remained in captivity and the outcome of about 1.3% of victims was unknown.
The report comes amid growing security concerns in Africa's most populous nation already struggling to curb a range of insecurities that have stretched the security forces thin.
It also revealed that nearly seven out of 10 households in Nigeria reported murder cases to the police within the same period.
Security analyst Saheed Shehu said the trend is worrying.
"These figures should serve as a yardstick as a baseline for the president and commander-in-chief to hold his military, police, accountable,” Shehu said. “The figures should serve as a tool to hold the leaders of the security agencies accountable. We should not just be reading figures and then wait for the end of 2025 to release another figure."
In November, Nigeria announced the discovery of a new terror group known as Lakurawa but said security forces were already on their trail.
Two weeks ago, Nigerian defense authorities said the military killed a total of 8,000 terrorists and apprehended over 11,000 suspects and rescued over 6,000 victims between January and December.
But Shehu is skeptical.
"This report coming from the National Bureau of Statistics — to be honest, it makes me to be at a quandary whether the reports we're getting from security agencies of successes ... it does not balance with this report,” Shehu said. “So, something must be wrong somewhere."
Improving security is a major challenge for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government as it desperately seeks to attract foreign investments to grow the country's struggling economy.
Nigeria allocated about $4 billion, or 12% of this year's budget, to defense and security — the largest single allocation to any sector.
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Deadly violence in Nigeria tied to United Methodist Church schism over LGBTQ policies
A religious schism has turned deadly in Nigeria, with a church member fatally shot and two young children killed as homes were set ablaze, according to United Methodist News Service.
The news service said the reported violence on Sunday stemmed from a schism in the worldwide United Methodist Church over its decision to repeal LGBTQ bans — and the ensuing formation of the new Global Methodist Church by breakaway conservative churches.
According to the news service, a United Methodist church member was shot and killed in a confrontation between both factions in Taraba, a state in northeast Nigeria. Homes were set ablaze, claiming the lives of two children, ages 2 and 4, of the overseer of a United Methodist school and nursery, the news service said. Another 10 church members were reported injured.
The worldwide Global Methodist Church held its inaugural general conference earlier this year. It was created by churches breaking away from the United Methodist Church — an international denomination with a strong U.S. presence.
While the UMC, at its general conference in May, lifted its longstanding bans on LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage, it also granted local conferences the right to set their own standards. The West Africa Central Conference, which includes Nigeria, restricts marriage to between a man and a woman and instructs its churches to follow national laws on LGBTQ issues, according to the news service.
In a statement, local United Methodist bishops condemned the violence and asked that there be no retribution.
"We are outraged that such an atrocity would occur among Christians, especially brothers and sisters who were once part of the same Methodist family," they said in a statement.
"We further urge GMC members, at all levels, to put an immediate end to the violence and refrain from disseminating misinformation that fuels fear and disdain that can lead to violence," they said.
The Assembly of Bishops of the Global Methodist Church issued a statement saying it is actively looking into the allegations and is seeking to determine what has happened.
"We mourn the loss of human life, decry the use of violence in any form, and call on both Global Methodists and United Methodists to serve as agents of peace," it said.
The news service said the reported violence on Sunday stemmed from a schism in the worldwide United Methodist Church over its decision to repeal LGBTQ bans — and the ensuing formation of the new Global Methodist Church by breakaway conservative churches.
According to the news service, a United Methodist church member was shot and killed in a confrontation between both factions in Taraba, a state in northeast Nigeria. Homes were set ablaze, claiming the lives of two children, ages 2 and 4, of the overseer of a United Methodist school and nursery, the news service said. Another 10 church members were reported injured.
The worldwide Global Methodist Church held its inaugural general conference earlier this year. It was created by churches breaking away from the United Methodist Church — an international denomination with a strong U.S. presence.
While the UMC, at its general conference in May, lifted its longstanding bans on LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage, it also granted local conferences the right to set their own standards. The West Africa Central Conference, which includes Nigeria, restricts marriage to between a man and a woman and instructs its churches to follow national laws on LGBTQ issues, according to the news service.
In a statement, local United Methodist bishops condemned the violence and asked that there be no retribution.
"We are outraged that such an atrocity would occur among Christians, especially brothers and sisters who were once part of the same Methodist family," they said in a statement.
"We further urge GMC members, at all levels, to put an immediate end to the violence and refrain from disseminating misinformation that fuels fear and disdain that can lead to violence," they said.
The Assembly of Bishops of the Global Methodist Church issued a statement saying it is actively looking into the allegations and is seeking to determine what has happened.
"We mourn the loss of human life, decry the use of violence in any form, and call on both Global Methodists and United Methodists to serve as agents of peace," it said.
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Activists, lawmakers in Nigeria coalesce against gender-based violence
Hundreds of people, including women’s rights activists, Nigerian lawmakers, and other participants, chanted as they walked from the National Assembly through the streets of Abuja on Monday.
The rally was part of Nigeria's participation in the United Nations-backed "16 Days of Activism," a campaign against gender-based violence, running from November 25 to December 10.
It also was an opportunity to announce the latest efforts by authorities to address gender-based violence — also referred to as GBV — in Nigeria.
Abbas Tajudeen, Nigeria's speaker of the House of Representatives, led lawmakers to the rally. It took place on the 25th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
"Every 10 minutes a woman is being killed across the world. This is an unacceptable trend; this is an unforgivable trend," said Tajudeen. "We in the parliament must have to unite more than ever before with relevant authorities, particularly the law enforcement in ensuring that we cut this dangerous trend to the barest minimum."
Gender-based violence is a global problem. Nigerian authorities say about one-third of women between 15 and 49 experiences physical and sexual assault in their lifetimes.
The country also accounts for approximately 20 million GBV survivors — or about 10% of the global total.
Poor awareness, a low rate of reporting, cultural and religious biases, and trust deficits in the justice system are some of the challenges hampering efforts to address GBV in Nigeria.
Raquel Kasham Daniel is the founder of the non-profit "Beyond the Classroom Foundation," which promotes the rights of girls through education and advocacy.
"I think that policies that protect women and put the perpetrators behind bars will be very helpful," said Daniel, whose foundation is championing the sexual harassment bill in tertiary education. "That will be a very good one to pass, we hope that it gets the presidential assent soon."
Nigeria had previously launched a "sex offenders” registry to name and shame perpetrators of violence against women.
On Monday, Women Affairs Minister Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim announced the launch of a national electronic dashboard system to improve data collection and accountability.
Suleiman-Ibrahim said that besides preventive measures, authorities will review existing laws to ensure they protect survivors of gender-based violence.
"This occasion provides us yet another opportunity to renew those commitments and take deliberate actions to protect the rights, safety and dignity of women, girls and vulnerable people across Nigeria, said Suleiman-Ibrahim.
As authorities continue to make efforts to address the problem, many hope the new intervention offers a lifeline to millions of vulnerable people. Africa recorded the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related femicide last year, followed by the Americas and Oceania, according to the United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime.
By Timothy Obiezu, VOA
Thursday, November 21, 2024
At least 50 insurgents killed, seven Nigerian officers missing after convoy attack
At least 50 Boko Haram fighters were killed on Tuesday and seven members of Nigeria's infrastructure security force were missing following an insurgent ambush on a convoy monitoring the country's power grid installations, a spokesperson said.
Boko Haram, which has waged an insurgency for 15 years mainly in the northeast, has been weakened by the military and internal fighting but remains a threat as it makes deadly attacks against civilians and government targets.
Babawale Afolabi, spokesperson for the Nigerian Civil Defence Corp, a government agency set up to protect infrastructure, said security operatives were ambushed by about 200 Boko Haram fighters during the patrol mission.
Afolabi said more than 50 insurgents were killed in the fighting but seven operatives were missing, adding that efforts are underway to find them in the bush. He said "a few others" of the security force were wounded.
Although Boko Haram mainly operates in the northeast, Nigerian authorities say the group has cells in the largely Muslim Niger state, where they have previously carried attacks against the military and civilians.
In a separate attack in northeast Borno state, a military spokesperson said five soldiers were killed by suspected insurgents last Saturday.
By Camillus Eboh, Reuters
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
Suspected Boko Haram attack kills dozens in Nigeria
People gathered on Tuesday (September 3) in northeastern Nigeria, to bury the victims of a suspected Boko Haram attack in Yobe state.
Suspected Islamist militants belonging to the group roared into Mafa village on motorcycles on Sunday afternoon, opening fire on a market and setting shops and homes ablaze.
An early estimate from a military official said at least 37 people were killed in the attack.
But residents and officials said the death toll could be even higher, with villagers still missing and feared dead after fighters chased them into the bush.
A Yobe police spokesperson told Reuters the attack was an apparent retaliation for the killing of two suspected Boko Haram fighters by local vigilantes.
General Dahiru Abdulsallam is a special adviser on security matters in Yobe state.
‘’Coward Boko Haram that went and attacked innocent citizens in their villages and killed them, so we came to bury them and to also condole their families and relations as well as the local government.’’
Yobe is one of three states at the frontline of an insurgency that has lasted 15 years.
Thousands of Nigerians have been killed and more than two million people have been displaced.
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Doctors strike in Nigeria over kidnapped colleague
The mother of five was taken from her home in the middle of the night on 27 December alongside her husband and a niece.
Her husband was released in March after a ransom was reportedly paid but the kidnappers held onto the ophthalmologist and her relative.
The doctors say they will not even provide emergency care during the strike.
Dr Popoola works for the National Eye Centre hospital in Kaduna, north-west Nigeria, and lives in the official quarters provided by the hospital.
The hospital is one of the biggest eye hospitals in the country.
Experts say the hospital's location on the outskirts of Kaduna city makes it an easy target for kidnappers.
In 2021, dozens of students were taken from the nearby college of forestry.
Dr Taiwo Shittu of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital said what happened to Dr Popoola could happen to anyone.
“We want the authorities to act fast, this has dragged on for too long,” he said in a video on social media.
The doctors feel the security agencies are not doing enough to secure her release.
The kidnappers are asking for 40m naira (£19,000; $25,000) for their freedom.
Although a controversial law criminalising ransom payments came into effect in 2022, they are still often paid by relatives desperate to free their loved-ones.
The law carries a jail sentence of at least 15 years for anyone who pays a ransom, although no-one has yet been convicted.
The government is yet to comment on the strike or the doctor’s situation.
President of the doctors' association Dr Dele Abdullahi told BBC News that “the family was exploring a diplomatic route initially, but they have now given us the permission to explore other options”.
The doctors' association recently held a march in public hospitals across the country and gave the government a two-week ultimatum for “the unconditional release” of Dr Popoola.
In recent years, kidnapping has become rife in Nigeria, with hundreds of people abducted, largely by criminal gangs who see it as an easy way to make money. It has been particularly bad in the north-west of the country.
By Azeezat Olaoluwa & Mansur Abubakar, BBC
Related story: Police say 20 abducted Nigerian medical students freed
Monday, August 26, 2024
Pro-Iran militants kill 2 Nigerian police officers
An attack Sunday by an outlawed pro-Iran Nigerian Shiite group killed at least two law enforcement officers, police said, with three more found unconscious in the capital Abuja.
The capital's police force confirmed "an unprovoked attack by the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN)... on some personnel of the Nigeria Police Force," said a statement by police spokesperson Josephine Adeh.
During the attack on a police checkpoint, "two police personnel were killed, three [were] left unconscious in the hospital, and three police patrol vehicles [were] set ablaze," Adeh added.
Inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran in the late 1970s, the IMN still maintains close ties with Tehran.
It has long been at loggerheads with Nigeria's secular authorities and was banned in 2019.
Sunday's attackers carried out their assault wielding machetes, knives and improvised explosive devices, according to the police.
With several arrests made, Abuja's police commissioner, Benneth C. Igweh, condemned the "unprovoked attack," vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
"The situation is presently under control and normalcy restored," the police statement added.
In July 2021, after more than five years in prison, IMN leader Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife were released by a court in Kaduna, in the north of the country.
A Shiite cleric, Zakzaky has repeatedly called for an Iranian-style Islamic revolution in Nigeria — where the Muslim population is predominantly Sunni.
Police say 20 abducted Nigerian medical students freed
Twenty Nigerian medical students who were kidnapped on their way to a convention have been freed more than a week after their abduction, police said.
Gunmen seized the students on August 15 as they travelled to a conference in Benue State, in the centre of the country, and later demanded a ransom.
“We confirm the release on Friday of our brothers and sisters and some other Nigerians who have been in captivity in Ntunkon forest, Benue State,” Nigerian police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said on Saturday.
State police said in a statement that they had “confirmed the release of the 20 students from the University of Maiduguri and University of Jos”.
The students were freed “without any ransom paid”. The group was “rescued tactically and professionally”, according to Adejobi.
The country’s police chief had this week deployed a “tactical squad” in Benue State as part of efforts to find the latest victims of a rising wave of abductions in Africa’s most populous country.
Fortune Olaye, secretary-general of the Nigerian Medical Students’ Association (NIMSA), also confirmed the release to the AFP news agency. “We’ve spoken to them on the phone. They are safe,” Olaye said.
The students were abducted while on the road in a convoy of two buses near the town of Otukpo, less than 150km (93 miles) from Enugu, which often witnesses attacks and kidnappings.
Armed gangs have been kidnapping villagers, students and motorists for ransom in northern Nigeria, with security forces unable to end the practice.
Thousands of people are abducted for ransom in Nigeria each year, though there are few reliable statistics as many cases are not reported. Cases of kidnapping have increased significantly due to a severe economic crisis which is pushing more people towards crime.
The Nigerian consultancy, SBM Intelligence, said it had recorded 4,777 kidnappings in the country between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu taking power in May 2023 and January 2024.
Al Jazeera
Related story: Nigeria police deploy drones to search for kidnapped medical students
Friday, August 23, 2024
At least 10 farmers killed by gunmen in northern Nigeria
Gunmen in Nigeria killed at least 10 farmers on Wednesday in an attack on a village in the northern Niger state, residents said.
Armed gangs, known locally as bandits, have frequently raided communities in northwest Nigeria, kidnapping residents, farmers, students and motorists for ransom.
Residents told Reuters on Thursday that the gunmen had attacked some farmers in Allawa community of Shiroro local government area in Niger late the previous day.
"The farmers were trapped and 10 killed yesterday evening in their respective farms," said Hassan Abubakar.
Another resident, Indamishe Auwal, who helped remove the corpses, lamented the incident and the general insecurity in the area.
"Shiroro is bleeding. Our people are suffering and bandits have taken over our farmlands," Auwal said.
Niger state police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters
Related story: Nigeria deploys armed rangers to protect farmers
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