Nigeria: Nearly 150 people rescued from Boko Haram April 7

Event

Nigerian army officials reported on Sunday, April 8, that it rescued nearly 150 women and children from Boko Haram fighters in the northeastern region of the country. The rescue mission took place on Saturday, April 7, and involved a raid on a Boko Haram base in the town of Yerimari, Bauchi state, and left three militants dead and five others captured. It is not clear when or where the victims were originally abducted.

Context

The northeastern region of Nigeria is highly susceptible to attacks and kidnappings 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 mid-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.