Nigeria: Boko Haram kills three, burns homes in Borno Sep. 27

Event

Boko Haram militants killed three people and set more than 150 homes ablaze in three villages (Goram, Lingis, and Ajidari) in Nigeria's northeastern Borno state on Wednesday, September 27. The militants attacked the villages at roughly 15:00 (local time), also looting local food stores and then setting them on fire. At this time, it is unknown to which faction of Boko Haram the militants are allied - that of Abubakar Shekau or Abu Musab Al-Barnaoui.

Context

The counterinsurgency led by West African states (Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger) against Boko Haram, which began in 2015, greatly diminished the extent of Boko Haram's effective territorial control. However, the militant group still routinely carries out deadly terror attacks, particularly in the northeastern region of the country.

In addition to targeting homes in Nigeria's northeastern villages, Boko Haram frequently attacks 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. The group's modus operandi frequently includes suicide bombings and kidnappings (regularly followed by assassinations and targeting primarily foreign nationals).

Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) in March 2015 and formally adopted the name of Islamic State in West Africa. Al-Barnaoui, son of Mohammed Yusuf - the founder of Boko Haram - was nominated by IS in August 2016 to replace Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram since 2009. Since then, the two leaders have been leading dissident factions with divergent ambitions, Al-Barnaoui blaming Shekau for massacring civilians rather than focusing on military targets.

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.