Vidoe - Nigeria says nearly 10,000 former Boko Haram fighters have been reintegrated

Authorities in Nigeria's northeastern Borno State say nearly 10,000 former Boko Haram fighters have now been reintegrated into society under a government-backed rehabilitation and deradicalisation programme aimed at encouraging defections from insurgent groups.

The announcement came as 720 former militants graduated from a rehabilitation centre in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, during a ceremony attended by state officials. According to Borno authorities, the latest group brings the total number of former insurgents reintegrated into their communities to 9,680.

The programme forms part of broader efforts by Nigerian authorities to weaken jihadist groups operating in the Lake Chad region by encouraging fighters to surrender and return to civilian life. Images from the ceremony showed hundreds of former militants gathered at the rehabilitation centre, where participants took an oath before being formally discharged from the programme.

Boko Haram's insurgency, which began more than a decade ago in northeastern Nigeria, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across Nigeria and neighbouring countries. Although the group's capabilities have been significantly reduced by military operations, armed factions continue to carry out attacks in parts of the region.

Borno State authorities say rehabilitation and reintegration programmes remain an important component of efforts to end the conflict and promote long-term stability in communities affected by the insurgency.

Africa News

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.

CGTN Africa

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.

CGTN Africa

President Tinubu says 13,000 Terrorists Neutralized in past year

Nigeria has killed more than 13,000 "terrorists" in the past year, President Bola Tinubu said Friday, adding that the death toll from the country's jihadist insurgency is down 81 percent since he took power in 2023.

"Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year," Tinubu said, without specifying if he meant in 2025 or in the previous 12 months.

He also said that over "124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor".

Africa's most populous country is fighting a long-running jihadist insurgency across its northern regions, complicated by inroads made by militants from the Sahel, and non-ideological "bandit" gangs.

The insurgency, which has spawned multiple armed groups, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since it began in 2009 with an uprising by the jihadist group Boko Haram.

The crisis has also been compounded by violent farmer-herder clashes in parts of the northeast and central regions, while secessionist agitation rumbles on in the southeast, and rampant kidnappings for ransom plague the country's northwest and central regions.

The unrest is inching closer to the relatively safer southwest, where more than 40 students and teachers were seized from their schools in the state of Oyo in May.

AFP

US-Nigeria joint operations eliminate over 200 terrorists in northeast

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigerian military have killed more than 200 terrorists in joint operations targeting Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in northeastern Nigeria, the two sides said Wednesday.

"AFRICOM, in continued coordination with Nigeria, conducted operations against ISIS (Daesh) fighters in NE Nigeria," AFRICOM said in a post on the US social media platform X. "The targeted operations eliminated more than 200 terrorists, including (ISIS leader) Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. No U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed."

Nigerian Defense Headquarters spokesperson Samaila Mohammed Uba said the joint operations had significantly degraded terrorist networks in the region, with strikes targeting militant hideouts, logistics bases and operational infrastructure.

Uba confirmed that over 200 terrorists had been killed in the operations and noted that this partnership has also enhanced the Nigerian security forces’ capabilities in intelligence-driven operations, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Nigeria has faced a prolonged insurgency in its northeast for over a decade, largely driven by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and its splinter faction, ISWAP. The conflict has led to tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions, particularly in states like Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

By Rabia İclal Turan, AA

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

Related story: Video - Inside the US's biggest military push in Nigeria in years

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

Related story: US Report Says 30,000 Armed Fulani Militants Operating Across Nigeria

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.

By Emmanuel Addeh, Arise News

Related story: Video - Inside the US's biggest military push in Nigeria in years

Video - Inside the US's biggest military push in Nigeria in years

Is the US getting into another endless conflict? After promising to pull troops out of Africa, Donald Trump is now ordering military strikes on insurgents in Nigeria. He’s also cut development funding which addressed the causes of terrorism. DW spoke with Cameron Hudson from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who says airstrikes can’t fill the gap.

DW

Related stories: US military carries out more strikes against ISIL fighters in Nigeria

Nigerian army says joint US strikes kill 175 ISIL fighters in country’s northeast

Nigeria Military Issues Security Alert Ahead of Eid-el-Kabir Celebrations

Nigerian military has warned of possibility of attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on civilian targets using suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices during next Wednesday’s Eid-el-Kabir celebrations across the North East.

The Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) gave the warning in a security advisory ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration on Monday in Maiduguri.

In the security advisory signed by its spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) said the terrorists may target areas of high population concentration during the celebrations.

But the Theatre Command assured the public that these threats have been thoroughly anticipated, hence, troops have been forward deployed to critical and vulnerable locations across all sectors of the Theatre ahead of the celebrations.

It also assured that surveillance and ISR assets have been fully activated, patrols have been intensified, and security forces are operating in close coordination with sister agencies, the CJTF, and community vigilance groups to forestall any threat and guarantee a secure festive period for all residents.

The Theatre Command also listed security guidance that members of the public should observe in the days leading up to and throughout the celebrations

The secirity guidance include conduct of Eid prayers and festivities as close to their homes and familiar localities as possible, avoiding large open gatherings where practicable while exercing heightened vigilance in crowded public spaces such as markets, motor parks, banking halls, and prayer grounds.

The Command also urged members of the public to report any suspicious persons, unattended objects, or unusual movements to the nearest military checkpoint, police station, or civil-military liaison point immediately and to cooperate fully with security personnel during patrols and screening operations.

In addition, members of the public are advised to avoid unnecessary movement, particularly at night or in areas with limited security presence.

The Command also urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information or rumours capable of causing public panic and instead, rely on official information from verified government and security channels.

“The Theatre Command calls on traditional rulers, religious leaders, media organisations and community stakeholders to actively engage their communities and encourage the timely reporting of credible security information ahead of and during the celebration period. Your cooperation with security forces remains invaluable to the success of ongoing operations.

“Operation HADIN KAI reassures all residents of the North East that troops are on standby, fully prepared, and firmly in control. The Command remains resolute in its determination to deny terrorists any freedom of action and ensure that the Eid El Kabir celebrations proceed in an atmosphere of peace, safety, and dignity for all. The Theatre Command wishes the entire Muslim community a peaceful and rewarding Eid El Kabir celebration,” the statement concluded.

By Ayorinde Oluokun, PM News

Related story: Boko Haram kill 33 fishermen, loggers in Nigeria

Pushback in Nigeria over ex-Boko Haram fighter reintegration

Communities in Nigeria's northeast, particularly in Borno state, are grappling with a difficult question: Can those who once took up arms against them truly return and be accepted?

Nigerian officials hope to reintegrate more than 700 former Boko Haram fighters into civilian life under its deradicalization program, Operation Safe Corridor. Authorities say the initiative is key to ending a decade-long conflict. But in communities that have borne the brunt of extremist violence, the policy is reopening wounds that have yet to heal.

The program has been running for years, but each new wave of reintegration continues to spark debate.

What is Nigeria's Operation Safe Corridor?

Operation Safe Corridor, launched in 2016, is Nigeria's deradicalization program for former Boko Haram fighters who surrender to the military.

Authorities say it is aimed at encouraging defections and reducing recruitment. Participants undergo screening, deradicalization, psychological counselling and vocational training before being cleared for reintegration.

Over 2,000 individuals have passed through the initiative, according to Nigerian authorities. Officials say only those assessed as "low risk" are released back into society.

Usman Tar, former commissioner for information and internal security in Borno state, which this year saw renewed a violence, told local media: "When they return, there is a screening by the Department of State Services and they're screened by the community leaders."

Authorities say the scheme is working.

"We did not receive any negative report from anybody from any one of them," Abdullahi Sabi Ishaq, special assistant on security to the Borno state government, told local media.

"They were accepted by the community, and we hope this one will also be accepted."

Concerns for violence-weary Nigerian communities

But on the ground, acceptance is far from guaranteed.

In Borno state, some residents like Muhammad Sharif told DW the idea of living alongside former fighters is very unsettling. He suggests former fighters should be relocated away from communities they once attacked and describes the arrangement as "improper."

"If you forgive somebody and you want to integrate him, take him to another local government where the offended people will not see that person at their midst. They will not bring us peace," he told DW.

Abraham Philip said communities are still dealing from trauma, even as the government pushes ahead with the program.

"Yes, peace is taking place also but destruction is also taking place," he told DW, referencing recent attacks, including the Monday Market, the post office and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) bomb blast in Maiduguri.

Philip says communities have questions for the government, because "a lot of things have been happening. There are some people saying these are the results of the reintegration that has been taking place."

Could reintegrated Boko Haram members relapse?

Others say the issue is not just about reintegration — but whether former fighters have truly changed. For Maiduguri resident Usman Abubakar, the distinction between theory and reality is key.

"In principle, it is a very good idea," he said.

But he adds: "We have had instances where repentant Boko Haram threatened to go back to the bushes when the promises the state government made to them were not fulfilled. That is why I don't want to call them repentant. I want to call them surrendered because you cannot see their mind."

Some Nigerians outside the conflict-affected northeast also remain divided. In Abuja, civil servant Hauwa Ajeje told DW: "It's going to be a vicious cycle. We'll be recycling the same individuals."

Raphael Ogbaji, a student at the University of Abuja, had a more optimistic take: "If they have chosen the path of peace and the path of repentance, why not give them the benefit of the doubt? Every human being can change."

Nigerians debate over justice for Boko Haram survivors

Lawyer Ahmed Abubakar told DW reintegration raises serious questions about justice for victims.

"Those that have been affected negatively by the activities of these terrorists, they need restitution," he said, questioning why former fighters are being rehabilitated while many victims are still displaced.

"Some of the victims are still staying in Internally Displaced People's camps. Some have lost their homes and are not getting any form of justice," he said.

While Abubaker acknowledges that international law allows reintegration, he says state authorities have not been clear about who is being reintegrated or their level of involvement in extremist violence.

By Chinaza Samuel, DW

Related stories: Video - Nigeria debates reintegration of former Boko Haram fighters

Nigeria bets on deradicalization program in North West

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.

AFP

Related story: Nigerian army says joint US strikes kill 175 ISIL fighters in country’s northeast

Nigerian army says joint US strikes kill 175 ISIL fighters in country’s northeast

Nigerian forces working with the United ⁠States claim to have ⁠killed 175 ISIL (ISIS) fighters in a series of joint strikes in ⁠the country’s northeast in recent days.

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters said on Tuesday that operations conducted with the US military’s ⁠Africa Command (AFRICOM) destroyed checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, military equipment and financing networks used by ISIL and the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP), which has led a years-long struggle in the region.

“As of 19 May 2026, assessments ⁠indicate that 175 ISIS terrorists have ⁠been eliminated from the battlefield,” Nigerian Defence Headquarters spokesperson Major-General Samaila Uba said in a statement.

“The joint strikes have further reinforced what the Armed Forces of Nigeria have consistently done over the years – hunt down and kill terrorists anywhere they are in Nigeria,” Uba said.

The announcement comes after AFRICOM said it had carried out attacks on Sunday in coordination with the Nigerian government. It also follows Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reporting that Abu Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIL’s second-in-command and also known as Abu-Mainok, was killed along with “several of his lieutenants” in a joint Nigeria-US strike.

The Nigerian Army said al-Minuki oversaw key ISIL operations in the Sahel and West African region.

After the announcement of al-Minuki’s death, Tinubu thanked US President Donald Trump in a post on social media for his “leadership and unwavering support”.

“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” Tinubu said.

The Nigerian military on Tuesday also reported the killing of another senior fighter, Abd-al Wahhab, who it said was responsible for coordinating attack planning and propaganda for ISWAP, as well as two senior ISWAP members, identified as Abu Musa al-Mangawi and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir.

Since suffering ‌major setbacks in the Middle East, ISIL has pivoted towards Africa, which accounted for 86 percent of the group’s global activity in the first three months of 2026, according to crisis monitoring group Armed Conflict Location & Event Data.

The US announced it had sent troops to Nigeria in February, in what was deemed a mostly advisory and training role, but the joint operations reported in recent days appear to signal a more active US involvement in the country.

Al Jazeera

Related story: Nigerian military airstrike kills 100 civilians at a market, rights group claims

Nigeria debates reintegration of former Boko Haram fighters

Nigeria’s de-radicalization program for former Boko Haram fighters has sparked divided opinion. Authorities say it offers structured rehabilitation, combining disarmament, counselling and monitoring, to encourage defections and reduce violence. Supporters insist it is not amnesty but a controlled reintegration process aimed at weakening extremist networks and preventing renewed recruitment, but critics argue that it risks undermining justice for victims of the insurgency in the northeast.

CGTN Africa

Related story: Nigeria bets on deradicalization program in North West

US., Nigerian forces kill top Islamic State leader

U.S. and Nigerian forces killed Islamic State’s alleged No. 2, a man linked to terrorist attacks against religious minorities and the mass kidnapping of schoolchildren, officials said.

Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Mainuki guided Islamic State “on matters relating to media operations, economic warfare and the development and manufacturing of weapons, explosives and drones,” Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, spokesman for Nigeria’s armed forces, said in a release Saturday.

Al-Mainuki, born in Nigeria in 1982, had also led Islamic State fundraising operations, according to a United Nations report issued last year.

The operation that killed him, which took place in the Lake Chad Basin in northeastern Nigeria, was “a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism” regionally and globally, Uba said.

The U.S. and its allies have for years been killing top leaders of Islamic State and al Qaeda. Officials recognize that new militants step up to take their places, but argue that repeated decapitation blows weaken insurgents’ ability to plan, finance and carry out attacks.

Officials were vague about the role played by each country’s troops in this week’s Nigeria operation, which, according to a U.S. official, included both a ground assault and airstrikes. The U.S. has far greater air-attack capabilities than does Nigeria, and the Pentagon released a video of what appeared to be a devastating strike on an Islamic State position.

President Trump said in a social-media post that “brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission.” Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the operation also killed several al-Mainuki lieutenants.

Since establishing a short-lived caliphate in Syria and Iraq in the 2010s, Islamic State has increasingly focused operations in Africa, from the arid expanses of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Defense officials believe a Somali, Abdul Qadir Mumin, is now the group’s global leader.

The U.N. reported last year that there were some 8,000 to 12,000 fighters in Islamic State ranks in West Africa, an area also contested by powerful local al Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin.

From its African bases, Islamic State aspires to conduct terrorist attacks against U.S. and European interests at home and overseas, according to American officials.

Al-Mainuki “thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” Trump wrote.

The coordinated operation reflects the significant warming of U.S.-Nigeria relations since last year, when Trump blamed the Nigerian government’s inaction for what he described as “genocide” of Christians committed by Muslim militants.

At the time, Trump threatened to cut aid to Nigeria and send American troops in “guns-a-blazing” to kill Islamist extremists.

In the rapprochement that followed, the U.S. dispatched hundreds of American troops to train Nigerian forces, including in the complicated tactics of coordinated air-and-infantry operations. The U.S. said at the time that the American troops would provide intelligence on militant targets, but wouldn’t be involved in ground combat.

“Africa is the most important area of operations for Islamic State,” said Hans-Jakob Schindler, the former coordinator of the U.N. Security Council’s panel on Islamic State and al Qaeda. But Nigeria is a particular focus because it involves violence against Christians that resonates with Trump’s political base, Schindler said.

Attuned to Trump’s concerns, the Nigerians made a point Saturday of highlighting al-Mainuki’s role in overseeing attacks against ethnic and religious minorities. Trump made a point of thanking the Nigerian government for its role in the operation.

Al-Mainuki’s extremist roots could be traced back to Boko Haram, a Nigerian militant group infamous for kidnapping children, and he was linked to a 2018 abduction of more than 100 schoolgirls in Nigeria’s Yobe State.

By Benoit Faucon and Michael M. Phillips, WSJ

Related story US military carries out more strikes against ISIL fighters in Nigeria

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.”

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.

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.

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.

By Mubarak Aliyu, Al Jazeera

US military carries out more strikes against ISIL fighters in Nigeria

The ⁠United States military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) says it has carried out additional air strikes ‌against ISIL (ISIS) fighters in northeastern Nigeria in ⁠coordination with the Nigerian ⁠government.

The “additional kinetic” strikes happened on Sunday, AFRICOM said in a statement on Monday, adding that no US or ⁠Nigerian forces ⁠were ⁠harmed during the strikes.

“The removal of these terrorists diminishes the group’s capacity to plan attacks that threaten the safety and security of the US and our partners,” the statement said. “AFRICOM remains committed to leveraging specialized US capabilities in support of our partners to defeat shared security threats.”

The US attack in coordination with Nigeria came two days after the presidents of both countries announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second in command of ISIL. He was targeted “along with several of his lieutenants” in a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said on Saturday.

US President Donald Trump first made the announcement in a social media post on Friday without disclosing when or where the joint Nigerian-US military operation happened.

Before pledging allegiance to ISIL in 2015, al-Minuki was a prominent Boko Haram leader, according to the Nigerian army, which said al-Minuki oversaw key ISIL operations in the Sahel and West African regions for the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Dennis Amachree, former director of the US Department of State Services in Nigeria, told Al Jazeera that the killing of al-Minuki “is going to create a huge vacuum in the leadership and financing of ISWAP as many top officers were decimated with him”.

This latest wave of US-Nigeria coordinated attacks comes as dozens of US soldiers have been deployed to Nigeria in recent months to help fight against armed groups, engage in intelligence sharing and provide technical support.

Samaila Uba, Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters spokesman, has said US soldiers will not play a direct combat role but will share technical expertise under the full command authority of Nigerian forces.

Last Christmas, US forces launched air strikes on ISIL-affiliated fighters in northwestern Nigeria. Speaking about whether this incident was part of a broader military campaign, Trump told The New York Times: “I’d love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”

The Nigerian government has rejected Trump’s accusation of mass killings of Christians in the West African country. Analysts said people across all faiths, not just Christians, are victims of armed groups.

Al Jazeera

Related stories: Amnesty: More than 100 civilians killed in Nigerian military airstrike

Jihadists plan to attack Nigerian capital – leaked memo

Jihadists are plotting attacks on Abuja airport and a prison on the outskirts of Nigeria‘s capital, according to an internal memo prepared by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) seen by AFP on Thursday.

The memo, dated 13 April, calls for an “enhanced level of security within the Federal Capital Territory and its environs”, after the NCS received a “credible report” that Boko Haram and its rival Islamic State West Africa Province splinter group were planning a “series of coordinated attacks”.

Potential targets include the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Kuje prison, both on the outskirts of Abuja, and the Wawa military prison in neighbouring Niger state, according to the memo.

Kuje prison was the site of a massive jailbreak orchestrated by ISWAP in 2022.

Earlier this month, the Kuje area council in Abuja had instituted a dusk-to-dawn curfew in at least four villages “following credible intelligence regarding a potential kinetic assault” on the prison, according to a separate report by the council seen by AFP.

Uptick in violence

Nigeria has been fighting a jihadist insurgency since 2009, though violence has ticked up in the last year.

Earlier in April, the US embassy in Abuja told “non-emergency” staff they could leave the country “due to the deteriorating security situation”.

Nigerian government officials insisted the capital was safe and was not under any imminent attack.

The country’s information minister dismissed the US government’s advice as a “precautionary measure based on internal protocols”.

According to the customs memo, “ISWAP operatives have already infiltrated the (Federal Capital territory) to facilitate the attacks”.

The Wawa attack is “reportedly being orchestrated” by Boko Haram’s Niger state cell, “in collaboration with elements of” the Nigerian jihadist group Ansaru and the Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM, which is active in the neighbouring Sahel.

The plot against the airport “reveals a concerning correlation between … recent large-scale attacks on aviation facilities in Niger”, including an attack claimed by the Islamic State Sahel Province on the airport in the capital Niamey, the memo said.

Hundreds of prisoners, including suspected IS and Boko Haram jihadists, escaped after ISWAP fighters attacked the Kuje prison in 2022.

It is located on the far outskirts of the capital, about 45 kilometres (28 miles) from Nigeria’s presidential villa.

Boko Haram and ISWAP have recently intensified attacks on bases in the country’s north-east as their 17-year campaign to establish a caliphate grinds on.

The conflict has killed more than 40,000 and displaced around two million, according to UN figures.

AFP

Related story: Boko Haram violence: Abuja buries senior army officers killed in attacks

Boko Haram violence: Abuja buries senior army officers killed in attacks

Nigeria’s defence minister has attended the funeral of several senior military officers killed in a surge of Boko Haram attacks in the northeast. The officers were laid to rest in Maiduguri, as armed groups intensify violence across the region. On Monday, Boko Haram fighters stormed an army base in Monguno, north of Maiduguri, killing a commander and six soldiers.

Al Jazeera

Related story: Up to 200 civilians killed in Nigeria after air force 'misfire' on market

Nigeria Drops Terror Charges Against Former Justice Minister

 

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, withdrew the terrorism financing charge it filed against the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, and his son, Abdulaziz.

The FG, through its team of lawyers led by Mr. Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, applied to substitute the charge with an amended one concerning the defendants’ alleged illegal possession of arms and ammunition.

It told the court that the arms and live cartridges were found in Malami’s residence in Birnin Kebbi.

Following the development, Malami — who served as Justice Minister from November 11, 2015, to May 29, 2023, under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration — and his son took fresh pleas of not guilty to the five-count amended charge.

The defence lawyer, Mr. Shuaibu Arua, SAN, who did not oppose the withdrawal and substitution of the initial charge, persuaded the court, however, to allow the defendants to retain the bail that was initially granted to them.

The application for the defendant’s bail was not challenged by prosecution counsel.

Consequently, trial Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the bail the court granted the defendants on February 27, as well as all the conditions already fulfilled, would subsist.

The court subsequently fixed May 26 and June 15 for trial.

It will be recalled that the Department of State Services (DSS) arraigned Malami and his son before the court on February 3.

The former Justice Minister was initially accused of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose case files had been brought to his office as AGF.

Both Malami and his son were jointly accused of unlawful possession of firearms, offences punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, 2004.

In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, Malami and Abdulaziz were accused of storing firearms at their residence in Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, without lawful authority.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations and were granted bail in the sum of N200 million each, with two sureties each in like sum.

Some of the counts in the charge, read: “That you Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did engage in preparation to commit acts of terrorism by having in your possession and without license, a Sturm Magnum 17 – 0101 firearm, Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without a license, did have in your possession Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) (ii) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Vanguard