02 Sep 2017 | 12:16 AM UTC
Nigeria: Boko Haram attacks camp in Borno state Sept 1
Suspected Boko Haram militants attack a refugee camp in Banki, Borno state, on September 1; at least 11 people killed
Event
Local media sources reported that suspected Boko Haram militants attacked an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Borno state in the early hours of Friday, September 1. According to security sources, the attack took place in Banki at approximately 00:30 (local time). The militants penetrated the camp’s security perimeter and stole food from the IDPs. At least 11 people were killed and two wounded in the assault.
Context
Banki is located near the border with Cameroon. The northeastern region of Nigeria is highly susceptible to attacks by Boko Haram, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) in March 2015 and formally adopted the name of Islamic State in West Africa. While Nigerian military forces advanced against Boko Haram insurgents last year and pushed them out of much of their previously-claimed territory, attacks by the insurgent group have been again on the rise since June, with at least 170 people killed since. On August 15, three suicide bombings in Konduga led to the deaths of 28 people and injured 83 others.
Public venues (markets, places of worship, schools, bars, areas where broadcasts of sports competitions are displayed, etc.) as well as security forces and governmental buildings are frequently struck by attacks, suicide bombings (targeted or untargeted), and kidnappings (regularly followed by assassination and targeting primarily foreign nationals).
Advice
The security environment in Nigeria is complex and particularly poor in the northeast and extreme south of the country due to the presence of armed groups, high crime rates, and the risk of kidnapping. Some Western governments consequently advise against travel to certain areas of the northeast (e.g. states of Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, and Jigawa as well as parts of Kano and Adamawa states) and the southern Niger Delta region (e.g. states of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers). Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel to these areas.
