Nigeria: Suspected Boko Haram militants kill 21 people in Borno Feb. 16

Event

Suspected Boko Haram militants killed at least 21 people and wounded 70 others in three coordinated suicide bombing attacks in Konduga local government area (Borno state), near Maiduguri, on Friday, February 16. The militants reportedly carried out the attacks in a fish market in the Sabon Gari area of Konduga around 21:00 (local time) on Friday. Additional militant attacks are possible in Borno state in the coming days and weeks.

Context

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 again been on the rise since June 2017.

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.