Nigeria's armed forces said in Sunday's statement that at least 35 jihadists were killed in a coordinated series of air raids close to the country's north-east border with Cameroon. The missions, conducted by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), were intended to neutralize a threatened jihadist attack on ground forces in the area.
According to the military’s statement, the strikes hit four separate locations used by militant groups, preventing what was described as an attempted large-scale attack on Nigerian soldiers. The air raids come as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle jihadist strongholds in Borno State and surrounding border areas, which have been epicentres of Islamist insurgency for more than a decade.
The attack underscores the difficulties of Nigeria's security services, which continue to fight a combination of jihadist factions, violent criminal outfits, sectarian militias, and widespread kidnappings in Africa's most populous country.
Nigeria has been rocked by the Boko Haram insurgency since 2009, which subsequently branched out into the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Both continue to be active in the north-east, regularly conducting fatal raids on villages, military bases, and civilian convoys. In excess of 35,000 individuals have been estimated to have been killed and over two million displaced in the conflict by the United Nations.
The Institute for Security Studies indicated that no fewer than 15 jihadist attacks have already been documented this year along the borders of Nigeria with Niger and Cameroon. Militants, more and more, have resorted to non-traditional methods, such as the utilization of adapted commercial drones to attack army bases, making it more challenging for the military to support its ground assets.
The ongoing bloodshed has awakened new anxiety in Nigeria. At the weekend, a group of senior Nigerians comprised of former ministers, entrepreneurs, and civil society leaders—released a statement collectively announcing that sections of the nation were experiencing "war-time levels of butcherings" even though Nigeria is technically at peace.
Their declaration cited an Amnesty International report published in May, which listed at least 10,217 fatalities since President Bola Tinubu took office two years ago. The group called on the government to set up a Presidential Task Force with overarching powers to bring security responses together across regions.
Aside from the north-east, Nigeria's military also reported new air strikes against "bandits" an informal term used to refer to armed criminal groups in the north-western state of Katsina. The air strikes resulted in 76 kidnapped victims, women and children, being freed, although authorities confirmed that one child was killed during the rescue.
The move was in reaction to a ruthless attack last week on Unguwan Mantau village, Katsina. Gunmen attacked a mosque and adjacent houses, and at least 50 people were killed and about 60 others kidnapped. Some of the kidnapped were released in the most recent rescue operation.
The growing violence has attracted global attention. In early this month, the U.S. State Department authorized the sale of weapons worth $346 million to Nigeria to strengthen its campaign against jihadist insurgents and crime gangs.
With increased military operations and global support, experts caution that Nigeria has a long journey ahead to regain stability. As jihadists evolve new strategies and criminals extend their influence, the security crisis is among President Tinubu's greatest challenges.
