The Nigerian parliament has passed a constitutional amendment bill aimed at decentralizing the country’s security architecture through the creation of state-level police forces. The long-debated reform now requires approval from at least two-thirds of the country’s state assemblies before it can be forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for assent. Lawmakers say the proposal marks a significant step toward addressing a worsening insecurity situation across the country.
Showing posts with label insecurity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label insecurity. Show all posts
Monday, June 15, 2026
Video - Nigerian on course to decentralize policing system
The Nigerian parliament has passed a constitutional amendment bill aimed at decentralizing the country’s security architecture through the creation of state-level police forces. The long-debated reform now requires approval from at least two-thirds of the country’s state assemblies before it can be forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for assent. Lawmakers say the proposal marks a significant step toward addressing a worsening insecurity situation across the country.
Video - Nigeria intensifies fight against growing security threats
Nigeria continues to grapple with a range of security challenges, including terrorism, kidnapping and banditry, despite ongoing military and intelligence operations. Authorities say security forces are stepping up both operational and intelligence-led responses while expanding cooperation with international partners in an effort to improve security across the country.
Kidnapped Nigerian retired general dies in captivity
Maj Gen Rabe Abubakar, who had a high-profile job as military spokesman between 2015 and 2017, was abducted with his wife while travelling in Katsina state last month.
No group has said it was behind the kidnappings.
The abduction and death of Abubakar highlights the continuing security challenges facing parts of north-west Nigeria, where criminal gangs known locally as "bandits" frequently carry out kidnappings for ransom, as well as cattle rustling and attacks on rural communities.
The Katsina state government said Abubakar died from natural causes.
The state's Internal Security and Home Affairs Commissioner, Nasiru Mu'azu, expressed regret over what happened, despite what he called "the relentless and concerted efforts" of both the state government and various security agencies to secure the general's safe release.
"The retired general died a natural death from complications of diabetes and hypertension,” he told reporters while expressing his condolences.
Meanwhile, the late soldier's family has called on the authorities to intensify efforts to rescue his wife, who is still with the kidnappers.
Abubakar's daughter, who spoke to the BBC, said the death of the retired military officer has placed the family in unbearable pain.
"The pain is unbearable. Only God will deliver us. We are praying. Allah is our only safety. By God's grace, we will be saved," she said.
Apart from bandits, militant jihadists have also operated in the region. An alleged militant camp in Sokoto state was the target of a US airstrike on 25 December last year.
Katsina has been one of the states most affected by the violence.
Local media reported that the retired officer had been going to a wedding on 30 May when armed men attacked his vehicle and seized him, his wife and their driver.
Days before news of his death emerged, a video shared on social media appeared to show Abubakar in captivity. He was seen with an apparent injury to his left leg alongside his wife and other hostages.
The military said it chose not to comment publicly on the abduction while efforts to free those in captivity were being made.
"In deference to ongoing rescue efforts by security agencies, the Armed Forces withheld public comment while every operational resource was deployed in the hope of securing his safe return," the statement said.
The whereabouts and condition of Abubakar's wife remain unknown. But a military spokesman said that "ongoing operations have since been further intensified to bring perpetrators to justice and to dismantle all terrorist networks threatening our nation".
The military paid tribute to the major general, who local media reported was 61 when he died, describing the loss as "tragic" and offered condolences to his family and former colleagues.
A statement said he made "immense contributions to counter-insurgency operations… His commitment to duty and to the unity of Nigeria remains a shining example for all personnel."
By Abayomi Adisa, BBC
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
High hopes as Nigeria-U.S. pact shifts global counter-terrorism to Sahel
The global war against terrorism is entering a new phase, and Africa has become its central battlefield following recent happenings in the fight against terror in Nigeria.
Security developments indicate that the United States is increasingly redirecting its counter-terrorism operations from the Middle East to Africa, with Nigeria emerging as a critical strategic ally in the expanding offensive against ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates operating across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin.
For years, the epicentre of global terrorism was concentrated in Iraq and Syria, but intelligence assessments now point to a dramatic geographic shift.
ISIS leadership structures are believed to have migrated into the Lake Chad region, while Al-Qaeda-linked groups have entrenched themselves across the Sahel, turning parts of West and Central Africa into one of the world’s most volatile terror corridors.
Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria have borne the brunt of the insurgents’ migration, but worsening political instability in the region, evidenced by military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, has deeply fractured regional cooperation and weakened coordinated responses to terrorism.
Now, observers believe that Washington appears determined to prevent the region from slipping further into extremist control.
The U.S. believes that ungoverned spaces in Africa allow groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda to build bases for external operations targeting America.
Also, beyond security, the U.S. seeks to ensure access to critical resources, such as high-quality crude oil from the Gulf of Guinea and minerals in nearby regions, which serve as alternatives to Middle Eastern or Chinese-dominated supply chains, while equally trying to suppress Chinese and Russian interests in the region.
Security sources said the region is witnessing an unprecedented escalation of American military engagement, including sustained air operations targeting ISIS strongholds around Lake Chad.
The renewed offensive mirrors earlier American tactics used in the Middle East.
For instance, in 2019, the United States deployed a B-52 bomber to obliterate an ISIS logistics and training base hidden on an island in Iraq’s Tigris River, dropping over 36,000 kilograms of bombs and wiping the enclave off the map.
Similar counter-terrorism intensity is unfolding in Africa following the recent joint U.S.-Nigeria military operations, which struck terrorist enclaves in Sokoto during the 2025 Christmas period and later in Metele, Borno State, where airstrikes allegedly eliminated ISIS global deputy leader, Al-Minuk.
The operations mark a major turning point in Abuja’s security partnership with Washington.
Nigeria, once viewed in Washington with deep suspicion over allegations of human rights abuses and governance concerns, has gradually rebuilt diplomatic trust through intelligence sharing, strategic military cooperation and counter-terrorism coordination.
Military sources said troops recorded fresh gains against Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters in the North-East and the Lake Chad Islands, with several insurgent commanders neutralised in recent offensives.
For Nigeria, the expanding U.S. military footprint, while appearing on the surface to appease the Trump administration’s Christian evangelical base through claims that American involvement is aimed at preventing Christian persecution, also serves a broader strategic purpose. It provides Washington with a critical entry point for monitoring the evolving and adaptive insurgency landscape across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, which directly threatens U.S. interests in the region and, potentially, the homeland itself.
Notwithstanding the military victories, Nigeria’s internal security crisis has continued to deepen.
Across the country, kidnappings for ransom have continued to surge alarmingly.
Schools, markets, worship centres and highways are increasingly under siege, while communal clashes, separatist agitation, banditry, herder-farmer conflicts and economic sabotage continue to destabilise several regions.
According to a Corporate Security & Risk Management Professional/Regional Security Adviser, Austen Pabor, terrorism and extremism have gone side-by-side with the same outcomes over the years, resulting in armed conflicts and extensive wreckage across the globe, with the United States playing the role it plays to restore stability in these affected countries.
“This shift in global counter-terrorism attention toward Africa reflects how threats can evolve and where the threat is evolving. For Nigeria, this presents an opportunity to strengthen intelligence sharing, regional security cooperation, and counter-terrorism capabilities, provided the country views it through this lens and takes advantage of the potential relationships.
“However, military action alone will not secure lasting stability in Nigeria. The real solution lies in combining targeted security operations with stronger border management, effective governance, disruption of terrorist financing, and the restoration of state authority in underserved communities,” he suggested, adding that terrorist groups thrive where governance is weak.
Pabor stated that sustainable security must focus on both defeating the threat and eliminating the conditions that allow it to regenerate.
“I am hopeful that if the Nigerian government explores the pros of this possibility, where intelligence, surveillance, border strengthening, etc., are shared with the common goal of combating terrorism, it will certainly be a conversation on the front burner,” he said.
Also, security expert, Matthew Ibadin, agreed with the assessment that most of the insecurity challenges are coming from the Sahel region.
This, he attributed to porous borders. According to him, the Nigerian border in the Sahel is porous, making it easy for the terrorists to migrate into the country.
He argued that even if all the country’s military might were deployed to the Sahel, they would not be able to contain the terrorists pouring into the country as a result of porous borders.
“It is time for the Nigerian government to fortify our borders and dismantle the current security architecture in the country.
“This is because we are operating under a single-digit security architecture, where the police are on the exclusive list. The federal government owns the police, so we have a centralised police force. It means that the federal government owns the army, navy, air and the police,” he pointed out.
He explained that it would be difficult to fix the security challenges without devolving power. According to him, that is the only way out of the quagmire.
Ibadin said: “We should allow state police by taking policing from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. Let state governments be able to formulate and undertake policing tasks in their states, so we can hold state governors accountable when there are issues in their states.
Arguing that the police can combat insecurity, Ibadin stressed that the police, if properly empowered, trained, and equipped, could do the job of fighting pervasive insecurity effectively.
Meanwhile, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has reportedly announced the closure of its ‘hijrah’ migration routes for foreign fighters, acknowledging that traditional entry corridors into Nigeria have become too dangerous due to sustained military operations by United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigerian forces.
According to an intelligence report from security analysts covering the Lake Chad region, the terrorist group reportedly acknowledged that the routes, which have historically served as vital channels for the movement of fighters, weapons, supplies, and external support into insurgent-controlled territories, are now considered inaccessible.
Security sources described this development as evidence of increasing pressure on the group’s logistics infrastructure. The restriction on those corridors, they said, could complicate the terrorist organisation’s recruitment, logistics, and operational planning.
The closure of migration routes is believed to be the result of the intelligence-led strikes targeting ISWAP command structures and supply chains across Borno State and the wider Lake Chad region. Experts said this campaign should be sustained.
For a security analyst and digital communications expert, Deji Adesogan, the increasing shift of U.S. counter-terrorism efforts from the Middle East to Africa positions Nigeria as a key strategic partner in the fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
This development, he said, could enhance Nigeria’s security through improved intelligence sharing, military cooperation, and access to advanced technology, helping to combat Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other extremist groups.
“Improved security could also boost economic development by attracting investment, restoring agricultural activities, and promoting regional stability. However, Nigeria may also face increased terrorist threats as extremist groups adapt to growing pressure.
“To maximise the benefits, Nigeria must complement military operations with investments in technology, innovation, education, job creation, and good governance to address the root causes of extremism and build long-term national stability,” he said.
A security expert, Abubakar Sadeeq, said, “First, before development, there must be peace. In any situation where crises take the lead, development will be very, very scarce, because how do you even develop when there is no peace?”
Sadeeq blamed insecurity in Nigeria and in the Sahel on the former colonial master. He accused them of using insecurity to exploit the resources of Africa.
“You should know that without Africa’s resources, places like France cannot survive, places like Europe cannot survive. So, there must be crises. Those are factors that are creating this insecurity.
“And Libya is just a next-door neighbour where there was a crisis. And after the crisis, there was no proper resolution to cover the movement of arms. Those arms were deployed into some parts of Africa, here, Nigeria, to be precise.
“So, those are the major factors. And until we have those factors curtailed by having a serious strategy, bringing all security experts together to draft a strategy, of course, there will not be peace.
By Joseph Onyekwere and Johnson Eyiangho, The Guardian
Security developments indicate that the United States is increasingly redirecting its counter-terrorism operations from the Middle East to Africa, with Nigeria emerging as a critical strategic ally in the expanding offensive against ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates operating across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin.
For years, the epicentre of global terrorism was concentrated in Iraq and Syria, but intelligence assessments now point to a dramatic geographic shift.
ISIS leadership structures are believed to have migrated into the Lake Chad region, while Al-Qaeda-linked groups have entrenched themselves across the Sahel, turning parts of West and Central Africa into one of the world’s most volatile terror corridors.
Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria have borne the brunt of the insurgents’ migration, but worsening political instability in the region, evidenced by military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, has deeply fractured regional cooperation and weakened coordinated responses to terrorism.
Now, observers believe that Washington appears determined to prevent the region from slipping further into extremist control.
The U.S. believes that ungoverned spaces in Africa allow groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda to build bases for external operations targeting America.
Also, beyond security, the U.S. seeks to ensure access to critical resources, such as high-quality crude oil from the Gulf of Guinea and minerals in nearby regions, which serve as alternatives to Middle Eastern or Chinese-dominated supply chains, while equally trying to suppress Chinese and Russian interests in the region.
Security sources said the region is witnessing an unprecedented escalation of American military engagement, including sustained air operations targeting ISIS strongholds around Lake Chad.
The renewed offensive mirrors earlier American tactics used in the Middle East.
For instance, in 2019, the United States deployed a B-52 bomber to obliterate an ISIS logistics and training base hidden on an island in Iraq’s Tigris River, dropping over 36,000 kilograms of bombs and wiping the enclave off the map.
Similar counter-terrorism intensity is unfolding in Africa following the recent joint U.S.-Nigeria military operations, which struck terrorist enclaves in Sokoto during the 2025 Christmas period and later in Metele, Borno State, where airstrikes allegedly eliminated ISIS global deputy leader, Al-Minuk.
The operations mark a major turning point in Abuja’s security partnership with Washington.
Nigeria, once viewed in Washington with deep suspicion over allegations of human rights abuses and governance concerns, has gradually rebuilt diplomatic trust through intelligence sharing, strategic military cooperation and counter-terrorism coordination.
Military sources said troops recorded fresh gains against Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters in the North-East and the Lake Chad Islands, with several insurgent commanders neutralised in recent offensives.
For Nigeria, the expanding U.S. military footprint, while appearing on the surface to appease the Trump administration’s Christian evangelical base through claims that American involvement is aimed at preventing Christian persecution, also serves a broader strategic purpose. It provides Washington with a critical entry point for monitoring the evolving and adaptive insurgency landscape across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, which directly threatens U.S. interests in the region and, potentially, the homeland itself.
Notwithstanding the military victories, Nigeria’s internal security crisis has continued to deepen.
Across the country, kidnappings for ransom have continued to surge alarmingly.
Schools, markets, worship centres and highways are increasingly under siege, while communal clashes, separatist agitation, banditry, herder-farmer conflicts and economic sabotage continue to destabilise several regions.
According to a Corporate Security & Risk Management Professional/Regional Security Adviser, Austen Pabor, terrorism and extremism have gone side-by-side with the same outcomes over the years, resulting in armed conflicts and extensive wreckage across the globe, with the United States playing the role it plays to restore stability in these affected countries.
“This shift in global counter-terrorism attention toward Africa reflects how threats can evolve and where the threat is evolving. For Nigeria, this presents an opportunity to strengthen intelligence sharing, regional security cooperation, and counter-terrorism capabilities, provided the country views it through this lens and takes advantage of the potential relationships.
“However, military action alone will not secure lasting stability in Nigeria. The real solution lies in combining targeted security operations with stronger border management, effective governance, disruption of terrorist financing, and the restoration of state authority in underserved communities,” he suggested, adding that terrorist groups thrive where governance is weak.
Pabor stated that sustainable security must focus on both defeating the threat and eliminating the conditions that allow it to regenerate.
“I am hopeful that if the Nigerian government explores the pros of this possibility, where intelligence, surveillance, border strengthening, etc., are shared with the common goal of combating terrorism, it will certainly be a conversation on the front burner,” he said.
Also, security expert, Matthew Ibadin, agreed with the assessment that most of the insecurity challenges are coming from the Sahel region.
This, he attributed to porous borders. According to him, the Nigerian border in the Sahel is porous, making it easy for the terrorists to migrate into the country.
He argued that even if all the country’s military might were deployed to the Sahel, they would not be able to contain the terrorists pouring into the country as a result of porous borders.
“It is time for the Nigerian government to fortify our borders and dismantle the current security architecture in the country.
“This is because we are operating under a single-digit security architecture, where the police are on the exclusive list. The federal government owns the police, so we have a centralised police force. It means that the federal government owns the army, navy, air and the police,” he pointed out.
He explained that it would be difficult to fix the security challenges without devolving power. According to him, that is the only way out of the quagmire.
Ibadin said: “We should allow state police by taking policing from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. Let state governments be able to formulate and undertake policing tasks in their states, so we can hold state governors accountable when there are issues in their states.
Arguing that the police can combat insecurity, Ibadin stressed that the police, if properly empowered, trained, and equipped, could do the job of fighting pervasive insecurity effectively.
Meanwhile, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has reportedly announced the closure of its ‘hijrah’ migration routes for foreign fighters, acknowledging that traditional entry corridors into Nigeria have become too dangerous due to sustained military operations by United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigerian forces.
According to an intelligence report from security analysts covering the Lake Chad region, the terrorist group reportedly acknowledged that the routes, which have historically served as vital channels for the movement of fighters, weapons, supplies, and external support into insurgent-controlled territories, are now considered inaccessible.
Security sources described this development as evidence of increasing pressure on the group’s logistics infrastructure. The restriction on those corridors, they said, could complicate the terrorist organisation’s recruitment, logistics, and operational planning.
The closure of migration routes is believed to be the result of the intelligence-led strikes targeting ISWAP command structures and supply chains across Borno State and the wider Lake Chad region. Experts said this campaign should be sustained.
For a security analyst and digital communications expert, Deji Adesogan, the increasing shift of U.S. counter-terrorism efforts from the Middle East to Africa positions Nigeria as a key strategic partner in the fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
This development, he said, could enhance Nigeria’s security through improved intelligence sharing, military cooperation, and access to advanced technology, helping to combat Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other extremist groups.
“Improved security could also boost economic development by attracting investment, restoring agricultural activities, and promoting regional stability. However, Nigeria may also face increased terrorist threats as extremist groups adapt to growing pressure.
“To maximise the benefits, Nigeria must complement military operations with investments in technology, innovation, education, job creation, and good governance to address the root causes of extremism and build long-term national stability,” he said.
A security expert, Abubakar Sadeeq, said, “First, before development, there must be peace. In any situation where crises take the lead, development will be very, very scarce, because how do you even develop when there is no peace?”
Sadeeq blamed insecurity in Nigeria and in the Sahel on the former colonial master. He accused them of using insecurity to exploit the resources of Africa.
“You should know that without Africa’s resources, places like France cannot survive, places like Europe cannot survive. So, there must be crises. Those are factors that are creating this insecurity.
“And Libya is just a next-door neighbour where there was a crisis. And after the crisis, there was no proper resolution to cover the movement of arms. Those arms were deployed into some parts of Africa, here, Nigeria, to be precise.
“So, those are the major factors. And until we have those factors curtailed by having a serious strategy, bringing all security experts together to draft a strategy, of course, there will not be peace.
Bandits in north-west Nigeria abduct villagers they invited to discuss peace talks
Armed bandits in north-west Nigeria abducted dozens of villagers whom they invited to a meeting about potential peace negotiations, authorities and residents said on Monday, highlighting the region’s worsening security.
According to local police, 39 people were seized on Sunday during a meeting in the forest near Magamin Diddi village in the Maradun municipality of north-west Zamfara state. But some residents and officials believe the number of those abducted could be as high as 50.
It is believed the victims were meeting the relatives of a bandit leader in the hope of bringing peace and easing restrictions imposed on the community.
“While the meeting was ongoing, the bandit kingpin allegedly arrived at the location with members of his gang and forcefully abducted 39 members of the group to an unknown destination,” a police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, said in a statement on Monday.
The chair of the Maradun local government told a local newspaper that authorities in the state were not in support of reconciliation with bandits.
According to the chair, the bandits had recently blocked all roads leading to the community market to show their anger over the persistent killing of their members by security operatives.
He questioned why the community chose to meet the aggrieved bandits, who were seeking an opportunity to retaliate.
Zamfara is at the centre of a long-running security crisis in which armed groups, locally referred to as bandits, carry out mass kidnappings, killings and village raids. The violence has disrupted farming and displaced thousands. Individual negotiations with kidnappers have occurred to gain access to farmland or secure the release of abductees despite authorities warning against it.
Security forces have deployed personnel and intelligence assets to locate the victims, the police statement said. Several individuals were reported by local people to have been released to convey the kidnappers’ ransom demands to the village.
Bashar Aliyu, a resident of Magamin Diddi, said the armed group was demanding 125m naira (£69,000) for the release of those abducted.
Abubakar said security operatives were working to rescue the captives and had assured residents that every effort was being made to ensure the victims were rescued unharmed and the perpetrators were brought to justice.
Gunmen kidnap 7 students from school in northwestern Nigeria
According to local police, 39 people were seized on Sunday during a meeting in the forest near Magamin Diddi village in the Maradun municipality of north-west Zamfara state. But some residents and officials believe the number of those abducted could be as high as 50.
It is believed the victims were meeting the relatives of a bandit leader in the hope of bringing peace and easing restrictions imposed on the community.
“While the meeting was ongoing, the bandit kingpin allegedly arrived at the location with members of his gang and forcefully abducted 39 members of the group to an unknown destination,” a police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, said in a statement on Monday.
The chair of the Maradun local government told a local newspaper that authorities in the state were not in support of reconciliation with bandits.
According to the chair, the bandits had recently blocked all roads leading to the community market to show their anger over the persistent killing of their members by security operatives.
He questioned why the community chose to meet the aggrieved bandits, who were seeking an opportunity to retaliate.
Zamfara is at the centre of a long-running security crisis in which armed groups, locally referred to as bandits, carry out mass kidnappings, killings and village raids. The violence has disrupted farming and displaced thousands. Individual negotiations with kidnappers have occurred to gain access to farmland or secure the release of abductees despite authorities warning against it.
Security forces have deployed personnel and intelligence assets to locate the victims, the police statement said. Several individuals were reported by local people to have been released to convey the kidnappers’ ransom demands to the village.
Bashar Aliyu, a resident of Magamin Diddi, said the armed group was demanding 125m naira (£69,000) for the release of those abducted.
Abubakar said security operatives were working to rescue the captives and had assured residents that every effort was being made to ensure the victims were rescued unharmed and the perpetrators were brought to justice.
By Serena Richards, The Guardian
Monday, June 8, 2026
Army frees 360 people abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria’s Borno state
The Nigerian army says it has secured the release of 360 people abducted by the Boko Haram armed group earlier this year in the country’s northeast.
The rescue operation unfolded in a Boko Haram stronghold in the south of Borno state, the military said in a statement on Sunday. Forces descended upon the Mandara mountains where Boko Haram fighters were holding hundreds of people “under harsh conditions”, it said.
Two infants “succumbed to exhaustion occasioned by the extremely challenging mountainous terrain” and the conditions they endured during captivity, army spokesperson Haruna Sani said.
“The remaining rescued abductees were successfully evacuated to safe locations for medical care and humanitarian support, marking a major operational success and a significant setback for the terrorist group,” Sani added.
The military statement said troops had gathered intelligence and used “psychological operations” to sow “mistrust within the insurgent ranks” before “the commencement of the assault phase”.
Several Boko Haram fighters fled into the surrounding mountains, while others surrendered, though the army did not say whether it completed arrests.
A local youth leader and Borno senator confirmed the release to the AFP news agency on Saturday, but said the group included more than 400 people.
Boko Haram had demanded millions of Nigerian naira in ransom for the captives.
Video - Teachers protest schoolchildren kidnappings in Nigeria
The rescue operation unfolded in a Boko Haram stronghold in the south of Borno state, the military said in a statement on Sunday. Forces descended upon the Mandara mountains where Boko Haram fighters were holding hundreds of people “under harsh conditions”, it said.
Two infants “succumbed to exhaustion occasioned by the extremely challenging mountainous terrain” and the conditions they endured during captivity, army spokesperson Haruna Sani said.
“The remaining rescued abductees were successfully evacuated to safe locations for medical care and humanitarian support, marking a major operational success and a significant setback for the terrorist group,” Sani added.
The military statement said troops had gathered intelligence and used “psychological operations” to sow “mistrust within the insurgent ranks” before “the commencement of the assault phase”.
Several Boko Haram fighters fled into the surrounding mountains, while others surrendered, though the army did not say whether it completed arrests.
A local youth leader and Borno senator confirmed the release to the AFP news agency on Saturday, but said the group included more than 400 people.
Boko Haram had demanded millions of Nigerian naira in ransom for the captives.
Growing insecurity
Borno state is the epicentre for armed groups, bandits and separatists driving northeastern Nigeria’s security crisis, which accelerated in 2009 when Boko Haram began its bloody attacks.
The group regularly carries out kidnappings and raised about $1.66m in ransom payments between July 2024 and June 2025, according to Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence.
In response, the Nigerian military has ramped up efforts to confront Boko Haram and its breakaway group, the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Nigeria said a joint operation with the United States had killed 175 ISWAP fighters last month.
In mid-May, the Nigerian and US presidents announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIL’s second-in-command.
The fight led by Boko Haram and various armed groups has killed tens of thousands of people and forcibly displaced at least two million from their homes.
Borno state is the epicentre for armed groups, bandits and separatists driving northeastern Nigeria’s security crisis, which accelerated in 2009 when Boko Haram began its bloody attacks.
The group regularly carries out kidnappings and raised about $1.66m in ransom payments between July 2024 and June 2025, according to Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence.
In response, the Nigerian military has ramped up efforts to confront Boko Haram and its breakaway group, the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Nigeria said a joint operation with the United States had killed 175 ISWAP fighters last month.
In mid-May, the Nigerian and US presidents announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIL’s second-in-command.
The fight led by Boko Haram and various armed groups has killed tens of thousands of people and forcibly displaced at least two million from their homes.
Related stories: Gunmen kidnap 7 students from school in northwestern Nigeria
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Four sentenced to death for killing worshippers at Catholic church in Nigeria
A court in Nigeria has sentenced four men to death for attacking a church in the south-western Ondo state in 2022 in a case which sent shockwaves across the nation.
Forty-one worshippers were killed and more than 100 others injured when they opened fire at the St Francis Catholic church in the town of Owo during a Pentecost service.The court in the capital Abuja also sentenced the men - Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulhaleem Idris - to 20 years in prison for belonging to a terrorist group.
Presidential assent is required before any death sentence is carried out in Nigeria. There have not been any executions in the country for several years.
Judge Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, said the evidence presented against them was "neither shaken nor contradicted during cross examination".
He had ordered an accelerated hearing after the high-profile trial commenced in August 2025.
In his judgement, Justice Nwite said that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt as they had brought before the court witnesses who saw the attack, including one who testified to recognising two of the defendants as attackers.
"Hence this court finds the first to fourth defendants guilty of all nine counts," he added.
One of the witnesses the court heard from was a woman who had her legs amputated from the knees, and had lost her left eye as a result of a dynamite explosion which the attackers had detonated.
The nine counts included joining a terror group, and planning and carrying out killings.
Prosecutor Ayodeji Adedipe said: "Justice has been served, justice has been done to the deceased who were murdered in cold blood."
The men's defence lawyer said they would appeal against the sentence.
During the trial, the defendants said they had been tortured, including being hung from the ceiling, beaten countless times, and using electric shocks on their genitals.
A fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, was discharged and acquitted by the court due to insufficient evidence against him.
He was accused of having financed the attack, by allegedly receiving 800,000 naira (£440; $590) twice from another suspect - who is still at large - and then disbursing the funds to the attackers.
During cross examination, however, Abubakar said the money in his account was the proceeds of his farming business, as well as activities from his cooperative society. He denied that the four other defendants were beneficiaries of the money.
Since the Owo attack, Nigeria has witnessed many more attacks on churches across the country as it continues to grapple with rising insecurity.
US President Donald Trump has accused Nigeria of failing to protect its Christian population from jihadist attacks.
On Christmas Day, the US hit two camps run by a jihadist group in north-western Nigeria, and threatened more if attacks continued.
Claims of a genocide against Nigeria's Christians have been circulating for some time in right-wing US circles, but organisations monitoring political violence in Nigeria say most victims of the jihadist groups are Muslims.
The Nigerian government also denies that Christians are being persecuted in the country.
By Chukwunaeme Obiejesi, BBC
Gunmen kidnap 7 students from school in northwestern Nigeria
Gunmen raided an off-campus residence in northwest Nigeria and kidnapped seven students, police said.
The attack occurred early Wednesday in the Kaura Namoda area of conflict-battered Zamfara state, police spokesman Yazid Abubakar said in a statement. One of the students escaped and was in custody.
The police spokesman said it wasn’t clear where the students were taken but efforts were underway to rescue the remaining six.
Zamfara has been a hotspot for armed gangs that carry out kidnappings for ransom, with abductions of students increasing in recent years across the country.
A tally by local news outlet Premium Times found that at least 1,900 students have been kidnapped from 20 schools since the 2014 mass abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno state.
The attack occurred early Wednesday in the Kaura Namoda area of conflict-battered Zamfara state, police spokesman Yazid Abubakar said in a statement. One of the students escaped and was in custody.
The police spokesman said it wasn’t clear where the students were taken but efforts were underway to rescue the remaining six.
Zamfara has been a hotspot for armed gangs that carry out kidnappings for ransom, with abductions of students increasing in recent years across the country.
A tally by local news outlet Premium Times found that at least 1,900 students have been kidnapped from 20 schools since the 2014 mass abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno state.
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Video - Teachers protest schoolchildren kidnappings in Nigeria
Teachers protest schoolchildren kidnappings in Nigeria Teachers in major Nigerian cities Tuesday protested a string of kidnappings and attacks targeting schools by armed groups.
Related story: Video - Gunmen abduct students in Nigeria’s Oyo State
Friday, May 29, 2026
Islamic State claims first attacks in North-west Nigeria
The Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) has claimed what appears to be its first reported attacks in North-west Nigeria, in which 18 soldiers and a police officer were killed in Kebbi and Sokoto states.
The claims were published in Al-Naba, an Islamic States’ weekly propaganda magazine published on Thursday.
The claims came about six months after United States President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against those he described as Islamic State elements in the North-west, following his claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
However, analysts and security observers remain divided over the footprint of Islamic State in the North-west region.
The claims
According to Al-Naba, ISSP fighters ambushed a patrol team of the Nigerian Army on 28th of Dhul Qadah (15 May) near Runji village in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Islamic State claimed that the attack led to a gun battle involving machine guns, during which seven soldiers were killed while others sustained injuries and fled the area.
The terror group added that its fighters burnt a military vehicle and seized eight rifles as well as three machine guns during the encounter.
In Kebbi State, the group said ISSP fighters carried out another ambush earlier in May near Giro Masa village, killing 11 soldiers and a police officer, while injuring others.
According to the Al-Naba publication, the troops were allegedly attacked while attempting to track the fighters in the area.
It also claimed that two military vehicles were destroyed and weapons carted away during the attack.
The claims by the extremist group could not be independently verified as of press time, while Nigerian military authorities are yet to officially comment on the allegations.
However, similar attacks were recorded mid-May in Illela LGA, Sokoto, and Shanga LGA, Kebbi. Both attacks were blamed on Lakurawa, a terror group that has been operating in the region for years.
The latest claims are expected to renew the debate around Lakurawa’s affiliation.
Analysts hold differing opinions regarding the group’s ideological and operational affiliation. While some believe Lakurawa is aligned with an al-Qaeda franchise operating across the Sahel, others argue that the group may instead be operating as a local affiliate of the Islamic State.
The uncertainty surrounding the group’s allegiance has continued to complicate efforts to clearly define the evolving militant landscape in Nigeria’s North-west, where armed banditry, cross-border insurgency and extremist infiltration increasingly overlap.
By Yakubu Mohammed, Premium Times
The claims were published in Al-Naba, an Islamic States’ weekly propaganda magazine published on Thursday.
The claims came about six months after United States President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against those he described as Islamic State elements in the North-west, following his claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
However, analysts and security observers remain divided over the footprint of Islamic State in the North-west region.
The claims
According to Al-Naba, ISSP fighters ambushed a patrol team of the Nigerian Army on 28th of Dhul Qadah (15 May) near Runji village in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Islamic State claimed that the attack led to a gun battle involving machine guns, during which seven soldiers were killed while others sustained injuries and fled the area.
The terror group added that its fighters burnt a military vehicle and seized eight rifles as well as three machine guns during the encounter.
In Kebbi State, the group said ISSP fighters carried out another ambush earlier in May near Giro Masa village, killing 11 soldiers and a police officer, while injuring others.
According to the Al-Naba publication, the troops were allegedly attacked while attempting to track the fighters in the area.
It also claimed that two military vehicles were destroyed and weapons carted away during the attack.
The claims by the extremist group could not be independently verified as of press time, while Nigerian military authorities are yet to officially comment on the allegations.
However, similar attacks were recorded mid-May in Illela LGA, Sokoto, and Shanga LGA, Kebbi. Both attacks were blamed on Lakurawa, a terror group that has been operating in the region for years.
The latest claims are expected to renew the debate around Lakurawa’s affiliation.
Analysts hold differing opinions regarding the group’s ideological and operational affiliation. While some believe Lakurawa is aligned with an al-Qaeda franchise operating across the Sahel, others argue that the group may instead be operating as a local affiliate of the Islamic State.
The uncertainty surrounding the group’s allegiance has continued to complicate efforts to clearly define the evolving militant landscape in Nigeria’s North-west, where armed banditry, cross-border insurgency and extremist infiltration increasingly overlap.
Thursday, May 28, 2026
US Report Says 30,000 Armed Fulani Militants Operating Across Nigeria
New report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has revealed that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants are currently operating across Nigeria, carrying out deadly attacks, kidnappings and widespread violence that have displaced over 1.3 million people, especially in the country’s Middle Belt region.
The report described the armed groups as one of the most dangerous non-state actors in Nigeria, stressing that their activities have intensified insecurity, deepened humanitarian crises and worsened religious tensions in several parts of the country.
The report stated that attacks linked to the groups have resulted in thousands of deaths, destruction of villages and mass displacement of rural populations over the years.
“An estimated 30,000 Fulani militants likely operate across the country, traditionally concentrating in the country’s northwest, then migrating down through the Middle Belt, and becoming increasingly active in the South. Each group consists of anywhere from 10 to 1,000 members.
“While these militants do not share a centralised leadership, some collaborate on attacks. Violence by Fulani militants caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the last year as compared to attacks by organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs.
“Fulani assailants have not spared Muslims, raiding herders’ cattle and violently attacking non-Fulani Muslim communities. Furthermore, many militants have targeted Christian communities in the Middle Belt and, increasingly, the South, burning homes and churches as well as kidnapping, raping, and murdering.
“Militants often coordinate via radio and utilise motorcycles and automatic weapons, rapidly hitting several targets at once in rural, isolated areas. They often wield machetes and descend on vulnerable communities,” the report said.
The commission estimated that at least 1.3 million people had been displaced by violence associated with the groups, with Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa and parts of Niger states among the worst-hit areas.
However, the report cautioned against viewing the violence solely through a religious lens, stressing that the conflict is rooted in multiple overlapping factors.
“The violence associated with Fulani militants is driven by a complex combination of religion, ethnicity, competition over land and water resources, criminality, and environmental degradation,” USCIRF stated.
It added that worsening desertification, population growth and shrinking grazing routes have intensified clashes between nomadic herders and sedentary farming communities across northern and central Nigeria.
The commission further alleged that some militant factions have developed links with criminal gangs and extremist groups operating in the region. “Some Fulani militant groups reportedly collaborate with bandit groups and other armed actors to conduct raids, cattle rustling, kidnappings for ransom, and attacks on civilians,” the report said.
USCIRF criticised the response of Nigerian security agencies, arguing that authorities have struggled to effectively contain the violence despite repeated military deployments and security operations.
“Government authorities have often failed to prevent attacks, respond rapidly to incidents, or hold perpetrators accountable,” the report stated.
According to the commission, the inability to consistently prosecute perpetrators has contributed to a climate of impunity and recurring cycles of violence in affected communities.
The report also cited accusations by some local communities that security responses are sometimes delayed or inadequate, although it acknowledged that Nigerian authorities continue to face enormous operational and logistical challenges in tackling insecurity across multiple fronts.
Despite its criticisms, USCIRF highlighted several efforts undertaken by the Nigerian government to address the crisis. The report referenced increased military operations in parts of the North-central and North-west, expanded intelligence-sharing efforts and the deployment of special security task forces to troubled communities.
It also noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu had taken steps to strengthen counterterrorism measures and intensify actions against armed groups involved in kidnappings and violent attacks.
Nevertheless, USCIRF maintained that the government’s response has not been sufficient to stem the scale of the violence. “Despite government efforts, attacks by Fulani militants continue with devastating consequences for civilians,” the report stated.
USCIRF argued that persistent violence by both state and non-state actors, including extremist and armed groups, continues to threaten religious communities and undermine stability in Africa’s most populous nation.
“There has been some evidence of increased government efforts, both before and after the October CPC (Country of Particular Concern) designation, to address Fulani-led violence through prosecutions and community-level engagement.
“In September, prosecutors filed initial terrorism charges against nine Fulani herders. All nine defendants, including the alleged organiser of the massacre, Lawal Mohammed Dono Ardo, have reported ties to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN),” it stated.
The report described the armed groups as one of the most dangerous non-state actors in Nigeria, stressing that their activities have intensified insecurity, deepened humanitarian crises and worsened religious tensions in several parts of the country.
The report stated that attacks linked to the groups have resulted in thousands of deaths, destruction of villages and mass displacement of rural populations over the years.
“An estimated 30,000 Fulani militants likely operate across the country, traditionally concentrating in the country’s northwest, then migrating down through the Middle Belt, and becoming increasingly active in the South. Each group consists of anywhere from 10 to 1,000 members.
“While these militants do not share a centralised leadership, some collaborate on attacks. Violence by Fulani militants caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the last year as compared to attacks by organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs.
“Fulani assailants have not spared Muslims, raiding herders’ cattle and violently attacking non-Fulani Muslim communities. Furthermore, many militants have targeted Christian communities in the Middle Belt and, increasingly, the South, burning homes and churches as well as kidnapping, raping, and murdering.
“Militants often coordinate via radio and utilise motorcycles and automatic weapons, rapidly hitting several targets at once in rural, isolated areas. They often wield machetes and descend on vulnerable communities,” the report said.
The commission estimated that at least 1.3 million people had been displaced by violence associated with the groups, with Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa and parts of Niger states among the worst-hit areas.
However, the report cautioned against viewing the violence solely through a religious lens, stressing that the conflict is rooted in multiple overlapping factors.
“The violence associated with Fulani militants is driven by a complex combination of religion, ethnicity, competition over land and water resources, criminality, and environmental degradation,” USCIRF stated.
It added that worsening desertification, population growth and shrinking grazing routes have intensified clashes between nomadic herders and sedentary farming communities across northern and central Nigeria.
The commission further alleged that some militant factions have developed links with criminal gangs and extremist groups operating in the region. “Some Fulani militant groups reportedly collaborate with bandit groups and other armed actors to conduct raids, cattle rustling, kidnappings for ransom, and attacks on civilians,” the report said.
USCIRF criticised the response of Nigerian security agencies, arguing that authorities have struggled to effectively contain the violence despite repeated military deployments and security operations.
“Government authorities have often failed to prevent attacks, respond rapidly to incidents, or hold perpetrators accountable,” the report stated.
According to the commission, the inability to consistently prosecute perpetrators has contributed to a climate of impunity and recurring cycles of violence in affected communities.
The report also cited accusations by some local communities that security responses are sometimes delayed or inadequate, although it acknowledged that Nigerian authorities continue to face enormous operational and logistical challenges in tackling insecurity across multiple fronts.
Despite its criticisms, USCIRF highlighted several efforts undertaken by the Nigerian government to address the crisis. The report referenced increased military operations in parts of the North-central and North-west, expanded intelligence-sharing efforts and the deployment of special security task forces to troubled communities.
It also noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu had taken steps to strengthen counterterrorism measures and intensify actions against armed groups involved in kidnappings and violent attacks.
Nevertheless, USCIRF maintained that the government’s response has not been sufficient to stem the scale of the violence. “Despite government efforts, attacks by Fulani militants continue with devastating consequences for civilians,” the report stated.
USCIRF argued that persistent violence by both state and non-state actors, including extremist and armed groups, continues to threaten religious communities and undermine stability in Africa’s most populous nation.
“There has been some evidence of increased government efforts, both before and after the October CPC (Country of Particular Concern) designation, to address Fulani-led violence through prosecutions and community-level engagement.
“In September, prosecutors filed initial terrorism charges against nine Fulani herders. All nine defendants, including the alleged organiser of the massacre, Lawal Mohammed Dono Ardo, have reported ties to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN),” it stated.
By Emmanuel Addeh, Arise News
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Boko Haram kill 33 fishermen, loggers in Nigeria
Boko Haram jihadists have killed 33 fishermen and loggers in two attacks in Nigeria’s restive Borno state in the country’s northeast, two sources told AFP Wednesday.
Monday’s attacks killed 27 fishermen in Mafa district and six loggers in Dikwa district, according to an anti-jihadist militia and a fishermen union official in the region.
“The fishermen were intercepted by Boko Haram fighters on motorcycles two kilometres from Mafa town,” Babakura Kolo, an anti-jihadist militia assisting the military said.
“All the 27 fishermen were shot dead,” Kolo said.
They were returning with a catch of lungfish from a dried up pond, said Abdullahi Sani, an official of a fishermen’s union in the state capital Maiduguri, 52 kilometres (32 miles) away.
Sani gave the same figure of 27.
Earlier, six loggers were shot dead by Boko Haram fighters while collecting firewood in the bush outside Malam Maja village in nearby Dikwa district, Kolo said.
They were displaced by jihadist violence and were living in makeshift camps in Dikwa town, 90 kilometres from Maiduguri, Kolo said.
Boko Haram and the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have increasing targeted loggers, farmers, fishermen, herders and metal scrap collectors in the region, accusing them of spying on them and passing on information to the military.
Two weeks ago, Boko Haram fighters shot dead 18 loggers who had gone into the bush outside Abaram village in Borno state’s Bama district, according to anti-jihadist militia and residents.
Tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced in the 17-year-old insurgency.
Most of the displaced live in makeshift camps, relying on food handouts from international charities.
But with the drying up of aid due to funding cuts, the displaced are left to fend for themselves.
Monday’s attacks killed 27 fishermen in Mafa district and six loggers in Dikwa district, according to an anti-jihadist militia and a fishermen union official in the region.
“The fishermen were intercepted by Boko Haram fighters on motorcycles two kilometres from Mafa town,” Babakura Kolo, an anti-jihadist militia assisting the military said.
“All the 27 fishermen were shot dead,” Kolo said.
They were returning with a catch of lungfish from a dried up pond, said Abdullahi Sani, an official of a fishermen’s union in the state capital Maiduguri, 52 kilometres (32 miles) away.
Sani gave the same figure of 27.
Earlier, six loggers were shot dead by Boko Haram fighters while collecting firewood in the bush outside Malam Maja village in nearby Dikwa district, Kolo said.
They were displaced by jihadist violence and were living in makeshift camps in Dikwa town, 90 kilometres from Maiduguri, Kolo said.
Boko Haram and the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have increasing targeted loggers, farmers, fishermen, herders and metal scrap collectors in the region, accusing them of spying on them and passing on information to the military.
Two weeks ago, Boko Haram fighters shot dead 18 loggers who had gone into the bush outside Abaram village in Borno state’s Bama district, according to anti-jihadist militia and residents.
Tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced in the 17-year-old insurgency.
Most of the displaced live in makeshift camps, relying on food handouts from international charities.
But with the drying up of aid due to funding cuts, the displaced are left to fend for themselves.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Video - Gunmen abduct students in Nigeria’s Oyo State
Fear has gripped Nigeria’s southwestern Oyo State after gunmen killed a school official and abducted students and a vice principal in coordinated attacks on three schools in Oriire. Authorities have ordered temporary school closures as the number of abducted students remains unclear.
Gunmen abduct 39 students, 7 teachers in attacks on Nigeria schools
Armed men abducted 39 students and seven teachers in an attack targeting several schools in Nigeria’s southwestern Oyo State last week, officials and a Christian association have said.
The attack took place on Friday in Ahoro Esinele community in Oriire district, targeting a secondary school and two primary schools, officials said on Monday.
Elisha Olukayode Ogundiya, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Oyo State, said 46 people, mostly children aged between two and 16 years, were taken away following the attacks.
In what police called a “coordinated attack”, armed men simultaneously raided Baptist Nursery and Primary in Yawota, and two other schools in Esiele, seizing pupils and teachers.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack as “barbaric”, while promising that the federal government was working with the Oyo State to “rescue all the victims”.
“We expect a breakthrough soon,” he said in a statement released by his office.
Governor Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde said one abducted teacher was killed on Sunday, citing a video. Six suspects have been arrested, including alleged informants and logistics suppliers to the kidnappers, he added.
A joint rescue operation by soldiers, police and local vigilantes was disrupted after they encountered improvised explosive devices planted by the attackers, leaving several wounded, Makinde added. Those injured are receiving treatment, he said.
Mass kidnappings by armed groups have become a serious security challenge in Nigeria in recent years, with criminal gangs exploiting weak security to target travellers, students, and rural communities for cash payments. Schools are often targeted, although such attacks are rare in the southwest of the country.
The attack took place on Friday in Ahoro Esinele community in Oriire district, targeting a secondary school and two primary schools, officials said on Monday.
Elisha Olukayode Ogundiya, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Oyo State, said 46 people, mostly children aged between two and 16 years, were taken away following the attacks.
In what police called a “coordinated attack”, armed men simultaneously raided Baptist Nursery and Primary in Yawota, and two other schools in Esiele, seizing pupils and teachers.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack as “barbaric”, while promising that the federal government was working with the Oyo State to “rescue all the victims”.
“We expect a breakthrough soon,” he said in a statement released by his office.
Governor Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde said one abducted teacher was killed on Sunday, citing a video. Six suspects have been arrested, including alleged informants and logistics suppliers to the kidnappers, he added.
A joint rescue operation by soldiers, police and local vigilantes was disrupted after they encountered improvised explosive devices planted by the attackers, leaving several wounded, Makinde added. Those injured are receiving treatment, he said.
Mass kidnappings by armed groups have become a serious security challenge in Nigeria in recent years, with criminal gangs exploiting weak security to target travellers, students, and rural communities for cash payments. Schools are often targeted, although such attacks are rare in the southwest of the country.
Monday, May 18, 2026
How ISWAP and Boko Haram are reshaping the Lake Chad Basin
The killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIL (ISIS), by United States and Nigerian forces marks a notable achievement for “counterterrorism”. Yet for analysts observing the Lake Chad Basin, it highlights how persistent and complex insecurity in the region has become.
Al-Minuki, a Nigerian national from Borno State, was operating out of a compound near Lake Chad, at the centre of one of the world’s most active armed group theatres.
His choice of northeastern Nigeria as a base underscores the conditions driving a renewed surge of violence by both the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and its rival, Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da’wa wa al-Jihad (JAS), more widely known as Boko Haram.
Perhaps equally significant is the parallel resurgence of Boko Haram, which quietly rebuilt itself while security agencies primarily focused on the more dominant ISWAP.
“While regional forces focused on countering ISWAP’s threats, partly due to the group’s advanced drone capabilities, Boko Haram appears to have taken advantage of the relative attention on its rival to regroup,” Nimi Princewill, a security expert in the Sahel, told Al Jazeera. “This, in turn, seems to have enabled both factions to rebuild strength and carry out further attacks in the area.”
By Mubarak Aliyu, Al Jazeera
Al-Minuki, a Nigerian national from Borno State, was operating out of a compound near Lake Chad, at the centre of one of the world’s most active armed group theatres.
His choice of northeastern Nigeria as a base underscores the conditions driving a renewed surge of violence by both the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and its rival, Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da’wa wa al-Jihad (JAS), more widely known as Boko Haram.
Perhaps equally significant is the parallel resurgence of Boko Haram, which quietly rebuilt itself while security agencies primarily focused on the more dominant ISWAP.
“While regional forces focused on countering ISWAP’s threats, partly due to the group’s advanced drone capabilities, Boko Haram appears to have taken advantage of the relative attention on its rival to regroup,” Nimi Princewill, a security expert in the Sahel, told Al Jazeera. “This, in turn, seems to have enabled both factions to rebuild strength and carry out further attacks in the area.”
Borders, weak governance, and violence spike
Beyond the immediate tactical manoeuvre of Boko Haram and ISWAP, the resurgence of violence in the Lake Chad Basin also underscores the broader regional challenges of coordination and intelligence-sharing among affected states.
“Although Mali and Nigeria do not share a common border, the large expanse of the Sahel that straddles them has several porous borders that allow the movement of jihadi elements and their weapons. The situation in Mali has made the Sahel a more permissive environment for armed groups, amplifying risks for Nigeria through spillover dynamics,” Kabir Amadu, managing director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited in Nigeria, told Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, efforts by Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger to harmonise military operations are frequently hampered by logistical bottlenecks, differing command structures, and uneven resource allocation, allowing armed groups to exploit gaps along porous borders.
Local communities, on the other hand, face the dual pressures of insecurity and humanitarian deprivation, often relying on informal networks for protection and sustenance, which can inadvertently provide concealment or mobility corridors for armed rebels. Humanitarian agencies report that civilians are increasingly caught in cycles of displacement and forced recruitment, while regional security forums struggle to implement preventative measures that go beyond episodic military interventions.
In some areas, fear, mistrust, and weakened traditional authority structures may make communities more vulnerable to coercion or influence by armed groups. These social pressures can create conditions that Boko Haram and ISWAP may be able to exploit.
Economic factors also seem to play a notable role in the resurgence of both groups. Control of the Lake Chad islands could provide authority over taxation routes, smuggling corridors, and resource extraction, turning the islands into potentially lucrative areas of competition that extend beyond purely ideological motives.
Beyond the immediate tactical manoeuvre of Boko Haram and ISWAP, the resurgence of violence in the Lake Chad Basin also underscores the broader regional challenges of coordination and intelligence-sharing among affected states.
“Although Mali and Nigeria do not share a common border, the large expanse of the Sahel that straddles them has several porous borders that allow the movement of jihadi elements and their weapons. The situation in Mali has made the Sahel a more permissive environment for armed groups, amplifying risks for Nigeria through spillover dynamics,” Kabir Amadu, managing director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited in Nigeria, told Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, efforts by Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger to harmonise military operations are frequently hampered by logistical bottlenecks, differing command structures, and uneven resource allocation, allowing armed groups to exploit gaps along porous borders.
Local communities, on the other hand, face the dual pressures of insecurity and humanitarian deprivation, often relying on informal networks for protection and sustenance, which can inadvertently provide concealment or mobility corridors for armed rebels. Humanitarian agencies report that civilians are increasingly caught in cycles of displacement and forced recruitment, while regional security forums struggle to implement preventative measures that go beyond episodic military interventions.
In some areas, fear, mistrust, and weakened traditional authority structures may make communities more vulnerable to coercion or influence by armed groups. These social pressures can create conditions that Boko Haram and ISWAP may be able to exploit.
Economic factors also seem to play a notable role in the resurgence of both groups. Control of the Lake Chad islands could provide authority over taxation routes, smuggling corridors, and resource extraction, turning the islands into potentially lucrative areas of competition that extend beyond purely ideological motives.
Violence mechanics
This combination of armed activity and criminal enterprise also appears to support how the groups sustain themselves. Boko Haram’s mix of ideological and criminal operations, including robbery and kidnapping, may help fund its activities while attracting disaffected youth. Recruitment seems influenced by the region’s fragile socioeconomic conditions, including high poverty and unemployment, rather than ideology alone.
The shortcomings of reintegration programmes are also considered to contribute to the problem, with former combatants rejoining Boko Haram after facing limited life prospects. ISS research found that former ISWAP members, who would face execution for deserting their group, were joining Boko Haram’s Ghazwah wing in Borno, notorious for robbery and ransom operations.
In addition to financial and operational factors, the groups exploit gaps in local governance and security presence to consolidate influence. Remote communities often experience inconsistent law enforcement, limited state services, and weak administrative oversight, creating spaces where armed groups can operate with relative impunity.
“ISWAP and Boko Haram have become active again in the Lake Chad Basin for three main reasons: their resilience and ability to adapt to the evolving tactics of the Nigerian armed forces; the lucrative economy of violence that sustains their funding and manpower; and the Nigerian state’s limited ability to establish a legitimate, lasting presence in the region that could undermine their credibility,” Chris Ogunmodede, a Nigerian political analyst, told Al Jazeera.
This combination of armed activity and criminal enterprise also appears to support how the groups sustain themselves. Boko Haram’s mix of ideological and criminal operations, including robbery and kidnapping, may help fund its activities while attracting disaffected youth. Recruitment seems influenced by the region’s fragile socioeconomic conditions, including high poverty and unemployment, rather than ideology alone.
The shortcomings of reintegration programmes are also considered to contribute to the problem, with former combatants rejoining Boko Haram after facing limited life prospects. ISS research found that former ISWAP members, who would face execution for deserting their group, were joining Boko Haram’s Ghazwah wing in Borno, notorious for robbery and ransom operations.
In addition to financial and operational factors, the groups exploit gaps in local governance and security presence to consolidate influence. Remote communities often experience inconsistent law enforcement, limited state services, and weak administrative oversight, creating spaces where armed groups can operate with relative impunity.
“ISWAP and Boko Haram have become active again in the Lake Chad Basin for three main reasons: their resilience and ability to adapt to the evolving tactics of the Nigerian armed forces; the lucrative economy of violence that sustains their funding and manpower; and the Nigerian state’s limited ability to establish a legitimate, lasting presence in the region that could undermine their credibility,” Chris Ogunmodede, a Nigerian political analyst, told Al Jazeera.
Beyond military reach
Many of the factors driving armed attacks in the Lake Chad Basin are unlikely to be solved by military operations alone. The conditions that give ISWAP and Boko Haram their recruitment base, logistical support, and social legitimacy in some communities can be traced to decades of poverty, displacement, governance gaps, and political exclusion.
Data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) shows the region hosts 2.9 million internally displaced people, including 2.3 million in Nigeria. Violence has forced the closure of 1,827 schools across the Lake Chad Basin, while humanitarian actors received just 19 percent of the funding required for 2025.
“ISWAP and Boko Haram’s recent resurgence reflects not simply a military setback, but a deepening governance vacuum across the Lake Chad Basin,” Abiola Sadiq, a security consultant, told Al Jazeera.
The Lake Chad Basin continues to face overlapping crises: millions remain displaced, schools are closed, and humanitarian aid is insufficient. Armed groups exploit geographic and administrative gaps to expand operations, while regional security cooperation struggles to keep pace with their adaptability.
“While the reported killing of ISIL leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki may temporarily disrupt command structures, it is also likely to trigger retaliatory violence as rival jihadist factions compete for relevance, legitimacy, and territorial influence,” said Sadiq.
In the weeks following the strike, intelligence reports recorded a surge in small-scale attacks and cross-border raids, indicating that operational fragmentation has not diminished the groups’ capacity to coordinate assaults. Civilians continue to face restricted movement and elevated risks of recruitment, extortion, and displacement.
“With Nigeria’s 2027 general elections approaching, these groups are highly likely to intensify their operations, potentially extending attacks beyond their traditional strongholds in the Lake Chad Basin and northeastern Nigeria,” said Sadiq.
Many of the factors driving armed attacks in the Lake Chad Basin are unlikely to be solved by military operations alone. The conditions that give ISWAP and Boko Haram their recruitment base, logistical support, and social legitimacy in some communities can be traced to decades of poverty, displacement, governance gaps, and political exclusion.
Data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) shows the region hosts 2.9 million internally displaced people, including 2.3 million in Nigeria. Violence has forced the closure of 1,827 schools across the Lake Chad Basin, while humanitarian actors received just 19 percent of the funding required for 2025.
“ISWAP and Boko Haram’s recent resurgence reflects not simply a military setback, but a deepening governance vacuum across the Lake Chad Basin,” Abiola Sadiq, a security consultant, told Al Jazeera.
The Lake Chad Basin continues to face overlapping crises: millions remain displaced, schools are closed, and humanitarian aid is insufficient. Armed groups exploit geographic and administrative gaps to expand operations, while regional security cooperation struggles to keep pace with their adaptability.
“While the reported killing of ISIL leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki may temporarily disrupt command structures, it is also likely to trigger retaliatory violence as rival jihadist factions compete for relevance, legitimacy, and territorial influence,” said Sadiq.
In the weeks following the strike, intelligence reports recorded a surge in small-scale attacks and cross-border raids, indicating that operational fragmentation has not diminished the groups’ capacity to coordinate assaults. Civilians continue to face restricted movement and elevated risks of recruitment, extortion, and displacement.
“With Nigeria’s 2027 general elections approaching, these groups are highly likely to intensify their operations, potentially extending attacks beyond their traditional strongholds in the Lake Chad Basin and northeastern Nigeria,” said Sadiq.
Latest militant attacks on schools in Nigeria leave more than 80 children missing, officials say
A wave of militant attacks on schools in Nigeria over the last week has resulted in more than 80 children gone missing, local officials and a rights group said Sunday, the latest in school abductions in the West African country where the government is battling an array of jihadi and other armed groups.
The attackers targeted a primary school in the war-torn state of Borno, in Nigeria’s northeastern corner, sometime between Wednesday and Thursday. The militants abducted 42 children there, in the Askira Uba and Chibok areas.
Amnesty International said that attack took place in the village of Mussa near Sambisa Forest, a stronghold of militants from Boko Haram and its splinter group, an Islamic State affiliate known as the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Across the country, two secondary schools in the southwestern Oyo state were attacked hours apart Friday, and at least 40 children were abducted there, according to Amnesty’s Nigeria branch. Such abductions are rare in that area.
The rights group warned Sunday that the threat of abduction is forcing many children out of school, while underage girls are being pulled out of classrooms and forced into marriage by families seeking to protect them from school attacks.
Peter Wabba, a government official from Mussa, said Sunday that he was told that 48 children had been abducted in Oyo.
“The government is assuring us that they are doing their ... best to see that these children are rescued, but up till now, we are still waiting,” he told the Associated Press.
Amnesty also said that the authorities “never fulfill promises to investigate the incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
“Victims and their families continue to be denied access to justice,” it said.
On Saturday, police spokesperson Ayanlade Olayinka told the AP that three gunmen were detained in connection with the Oyo attack, which took place in the Oriire area, about 135 miles from Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.
The suspects were identified by the community and arrested, Olayinka said. Police did not say whether they were searching for more suspects.
Abductions of schoolchildren are common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, especially in the country’s north. Last year, two mass abductions from schools rocked the nation, with more than 300 children taken in the northern region.
School kidnappings have come to define the lack of security in Nigeria, and analysts say it’s often because armed gangs see schools as strategic targets they can exploit to draw attention.
By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP
Gunmen raid Nigerian orphanage and kidnap children
The attackers targeted a primary school in the war-torn state of Borno, in Nigeria’s northeastern corner, sometime between Wednesday and Thursday. The militants abducted 42 children there, in the Askira Uba and Chibok areas.
Amnesty International said that attack took place in the village of Mussa near Sambisa Forest, a stronghold of militants from Boko Haram and its splinter group, an Islamic State affiliate known as the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Across the country, two secondary schools in the southwestern Oyo state were attacked hours apart Friday, and at least 40 children were abducted there, according to Amnesty’s Nigeria branch. Such abductions are rare in that area.
The rights group warned Sunday that the threat of abduction is forcing many children out of school, while underage girls are being pulled out of classrooms and forced into marriage by families seeking to protect them from school attacks.
Peter Wabba, a government official from Mussa, said Sunday that he was told that 48 children had been abducted in Oyo.
“The government is assuring us that they are doing their ... best to see that these children are rescued, but up till now, we are still waiting,” he told the Associated Press.
Amnesty also said that the authorities “never fulfill promises to investigate the incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
“Victims and their families continue to be denied access to justice,” it said.
On Saturday, police spokesperson Ayanlade Olayinka told the AP that three gunmen were detained in connection with the Oyo attack, which took place in the Oriire area, about 135 miles from Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.
The suspects were identified by the community and arrested, Olayinka said. Police did not say whether they were searching for more suspects.
Abductions of schoolchildren are common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, especially in the country’s north. Last year, two mass abductions from schools rocked the nation, with more than 300 children taken in the northern region.
School kidnappings have come to define the lack of security in Nigeria, and analysts say it’s often because armed gangs see schools as strategic targets they can exploit to draw attention.
By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP
Related stories: How Viral Empathy is Being Weaponized by Nigerian Kidnappers
Gunmen raid Nigerian orphanage and kidnap children
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Kidnapped priest released after 3 months in captivity
In a statement issued on 12 May, the Catholic Diocese expressed “deep gratitude to God” for the safe return of Fr Nathaniel Asuwaye after three months in captivity.
“We are pleased to inform you that Father Nathaniel is now safe and receiving the necessary medical care,” the statement read. “His condition is stable, he is in good spirits, and he thanks you for your prayers and support.”
Fr Nathaniel, parish priest of Holy Trinity Church in Karku, Kaura County of Kaduna State, was kidnapped in the early hours of 7 February when armed attackers stormed the rectory. According to reports at the time, ten parishioners were also abducted during the assault, while at least three people were killed.
Recalling the months following the abduction, the Diocese said it had continuously urged the faithful to pray for the priest’s release.
“At the end of April, we dedicated May to God through fervent prayers during our annual Marian devotions and other prayers, especially the Holy Mass,” the statement said, adding “God, who does not abandon those who bear His name and call upon Him, has heard our prayers and granted Father Nathaniel’s safe return.”
Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi, together with the priests and faithful of Kafanchan Diocese, also expressed gratitude to all who supported the Church during the difficult period, especially those who cared for the priest’s family and accompanied the community through prayer and solidarity.
“As we rejoice in this moment of answered prayers, let us remain steadfast in faith, united as one family, and supportive of one another,” the Diocese said, while encouraging the faithful to remain vigilant and compassionate toward one another.
“We are pleased to inform you that Father Nathaniel is now safe and receiving the necessary medical care,” the statement read. “His condition is stable, he is in good spirits, and he thanks you for your prayers and support.”
Fr Nathaniel, parish priest of Holy Trinity Church in Karku, Kaura County of Kaduna State, was kidnapped in the early hours of 7 February when armed attackers stormed the rectory. According to reports at the time, ten parishioners were also abducted during the assault, while at least three people were killed.
Recalling the months following the abduction, the Diocese said it had continuously urged the faithful to pray for the priest’s release.
“At the end of April, we dedicated May to God through fervent prayers during our annual Marian devotions and other prayers, especially the Holy Mass,” the statement said, adding “God, who does not abandon those who bear His name and call upon Him, has heard our prayers and granted Father Nathaniel’s safe return.”
Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi, together with the priests and faithful of Kafanchan Diocese, also expressed gratitude to all who supported the Church during the difficult period, especially those who cared for the priest’s family and accompanied the community through prayer and solidarity.
“As we rejoice in this moment of answered prayers, let us remain steadfast in faith, united as one family, and supportive of one another,” the Diocese said, while encouraging the faithful to remain vigilant and compassionate toward one another.
Concern for widespread insecurity
According to Fides News Agency, no information has yet been released regarding the fate of the ten parishioners kidnapped alongside Fr Nathaniel.
The release of the priest comes amid continuing concern over the abduction of clergy and insecurity in several parts of Nigeria. Fides reported that at least two Catholic priests remain in captivity: Fr Joseph Igweagu of the Diocese of Aguleri in Anambra State, kidnapped on 12 October 2022, and Fr Emmanuel Ezema of the Diocese of Zaria in Kaduna State, abducted on 2 December 2025.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has repeatedly appealed for stronger security measures and renewed efforts to protect human life and restore peace in communities affected by violence and criminal attacks.
According to Fides News Agency, no information has yet been released regarding the fate of the ten parishioners kidnapped alongside Fr Nathaniel.
The release of the priest comes amid continuing concern over the abduction of clergy and insecurity in several parts of Nigeria. Fides reported that at least two Catholic priests remain in captivity: Fr Joseph Igweagu of the Diocese of Aguleri in Anambra State, kidnapped on 12 October 2022, and Fr Emmanuel Ezema of the Diocese of Zaria in Kaduna State, abducted on 2 December 2025.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has repeatedly appealed for stronger security measures and renewed efforts to protect human life and restore peace in communities affected by violence and criminal attacks.
Related story: How Viral Empathy is Being Weaponized by Nigerian Kidnappers
UN urges independent probes into deadly Nigeria, Chad air attacks
The United Nations human rights chief has demanded independent investigations into reports that separate air attacks by the Nigerian and Chadian forces in northern Nigeria killed more than 100 civilians.
“I am shocked by reports that Nigerian army airstrikes on a market in Zamfara state killed at least 100 civilians on 10 May and injured many more,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement on Wednesday.
He said he was also “alarmed and saddened” by the reports of high civilian casualties in attacks since Friday by Chadian jets against Boko Haram camps on remote islands in the vast marshland shared by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
Nigeria’s military has been battling “bandits” in the northwest, often describing them as “terrorists”. It has also been battling an armed rebellion in the northeast for 17 years.
The Nigerian military and the “bandit” gangs killed at least 100 civilians on Sunday in one of the bloodiest days in the state’s conflict against armed groups, according to Amnesty International.
Citing witnesses, Amnesty said many of those killed were women and children, and urged authorities to immediately investigate the attack on a crowded market in Tumfa village.
The bombardment has reportedly killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen working on islands under Boko Haram control, where civilians are forced to pay taxes to the armed group. Footage verified by the AFP news agency showed several fishermen with severe burns being treated at a hospital in Bosso, Niger.
“It is crucial that both Nigerian and Chadian authorities conduct prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into these disturbing incidents,” Turk said, adding that both militaries must “take all feasible precautions to avoid harm to civilians”.
“Their military operations, including against Boko Haram and the so-called ‘Islamic State West Africa Province’ must be conducted in full compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” he said, referring to the ISIL (ISIS) affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP). “Civilians and civilian objects must never be the target of attack.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military said on Wednesday that there has been no evidence of civilian casualties in attacks in the northwest Zamfara state this month, calling reports of large death tolls unverified and misleading.
“No credible, substantiated evidence of civilian casualties has been established through any official assessment or independent verification,” defence headquarters spokesman Major-General Michael Onoja said in a statement.
Onoja claimed that the strike was conducted under international humanitarian law and targeted a “confirmed high-level gathering” based on intelligence sources in a village where “several terrorists were neutralised”.
By AFP and Reuters
“I am shocked by reports that Nigerian army airstrikes on a market in Zamfara state killed at least 100 civilians on 10 May and injured many more,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement on Wednesday.
He said he was also “alarmed and saddened” by the reports of high civilian casualties in attacks since Friday by Chadian jets against Boko Haram camps on remote islands in the vast marshland shared by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
Nigeria’s military has been battling “bandits” in the northwest, often describing them as “terrorists”. It has also been battling an armed rebellion in the northeast for 17 years.
The Nigerian military and the “bandit” gangs killed at least 100 civilians on Sunday in one of the bloodiest days in the state’s conflict against armed groups, according to Amnesty International.
Citing witnesses, Amnesty said many of those killed were women and children, and urged authorities to immediately investigate the attack on a crowded market in Tumfa village.
The bombardment has reportedly killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen working on islands under Boko Haram control, where civilians are forced to pay taxes to the armed group. Footage verified by the AFP news agency showed several fishermen with severe burns being treated at a hospital in Bosso, Niger.
“It is crucial that both Nigerian and Chadian authorities conduct prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into these disturbing incidents,” Turk said, adding that both militaries must “take all feasible precautions to avoid harm to civilians”.
“Their military operations, including against Boko Haram and the so-called ‘Islamic State West Africa Province’ must be conducted in full compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” he said, referring to the ISIL (ISIS) affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP). “Civilians and civilian objects must never be the target of attack.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military said on Wednesday that there has been no evidence of civilian casualties in attacks in the northwest Zamfara state this month, calling reports of large death tolls unverified and misleading.
“No credible, substantiated evidence of civilian casualties has been established through any official assessment or independent verification,” defence headquarters spokesman Major-General Michael Onoja said in a statement.
Onoja claimed that the strike was conducted under international humanitarian law and targeted a “confirmed high-level gathering” based on intelligence sources in a village where “several terrorists were neutralised”.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
How Viral Empathy is Being Weaponized by Nigerian Kidnappers
In the digital age, a "like" or a "share" is usually a sign of support. But for families of kidnapping victims in Nigeria, a viral post can be a double-edged sword—one that saves a life while simultaneously driving up the price of freedom.
A disturbing shift is taking place in Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis. No longer content with merely assessing what a victim’s family can afford, criminal syndicates are now monitoring the internet to see what the public can raise. In this new "Digital Extortion Economy," empathy is being monetized, and visibility has become a dangerous currency.
From "Family Crisis" to "Public Campaign"
Traditionally, kidnapping for ransom was a private, terrifying negotiation between abductors and a victim's immediate relatives. However, as the frequency of abductions has surged across the country, families are increasingly turning to WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), and informal blogs to crowdfund the massive sums demanded.
The results are often immediate, but the consequences are becoming grim.
Take the case of Abba Musa Usman, whose ordeal captured national attention after videos of his torture were circulated online by his captors. The public outrage sparked a massive fundraising effort. But as the "Digital Empathy" grew, so did the captors' greed. According to researchers at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), ransom demands often fluctuate in real-time as abductors track how much money is being mobilized by the public. In Usman’s case, after an initial payment was made, the kidnappers pivoted, demanding motorcycles and other assets as they realized the depth of the public’s pockets.
The Algos of Agony
The tragedy of a family in Abuja in 2024 serves as a stark warning. After the failure to pay an initial demand led to the killing of one of the daughters, the subsequent public outcry fueled five separate crowdfunding campaigns on X. In just 18 days, approximately ₦230 million (US$168,000) was raised.
While these funds often secure releases, they also provide "market data" for the kidnappers. They are no longer just criminals; they are acting like predatory market analysts, setting their prices based on the viral potential of a victim’s story.
A Policy of Desperation
The Nigerian government attempted to curb this trend in 2022 by criminalizing ransom payments, but the law has largely failed to stop the practice. When the state fails to provide security, citizens have little choice but to rely on one another.
This has created a chaotic information environment where:
Kidnappers monitor social media: They track hashtags and fundraising progress to set "premium" ransom rates.
Verification is impossible: Rumors and unverified appeals flood WhatsApp, making it difficult for genuine families to coordinate and easy for scammers to exploit the chaos.
Ransoms are "Tiered": Similar to cases seen in Niger, abductors are beginning to set "differentiated" ransoms—charging more for professionals like doctors or those whose stories gain the most traction.
The Bottom Line
Social media has provided a lifeline for those who have nowhere else to turn, but it has also handed a powerful new tool to the kidnappers. In the battle between public solidarity and criminal opportunism, the "digital crowd" is inadvertently setting the market price for human life. As long as visibility equals money, the most heart-wrenching stories will continue to carry the highest price tags.
Related stories: Gunmen raid Nigerian orphanage and kidnap children
Gunmen kidnap students heading to exams in NigeriaAmnesty: More than 100 civilians killed in Nigerian military airstrike
Nigerian civilians caught in the crossfire once again. Amnesty International says more than 100 civilians were killed in a military airstrike in the country's northwest. The group is calling on authorities to launch an immediate investigation.
Related stories: Nigeria military denies civilian deaths in Niger state airstrikes
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