Nigeria: Deadly machete attack in Kwaya Kusar (Borno) Nov. 30

Event

An unidentified man carrying a machete carried out an attack at a primary school in Kwaya Kusar, located in the southwest of Borno state, on Thursday, November 30. Three children were killed and a teacher was injured. Police were quickly deployed to the school and arrested the attacker after he was detained by local residents that had been alerted by the teacher. All private and public schools in the area were closed following the incident.

Local sources have attributed the attack to Boko Haram, whose militants have targeted schools in the past. However, it remains unclear who is behind the incident, as it did not fit patterns of previous Boko Haram attacks. Current reports suggest the man may have been suffering from psychological problems. 

Context

Violent crime is common throughout Nigeria, in both cities and rural areas.

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. Public venues (markets, places of worship, schools, 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. 

Advice

Generally speaking, the security environment in Nigeria is complex and is particularly concerning 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.