Nigeria: Boko Haram attacks military base in Borno Dec. 13

Event

Boko Haram militants attempted to take control of a military base in the village of Mainok (Borno state, northeast) on Wednesday, December 13. The military forces stationed at the base engaged in a gun battle with the assailants and managed to repel the attack following the arrival of reinforcements. Conflicting reports indicated that between nine and 14 militants were killed in the attack. Surviving militants stole two armored cars and two all-terrain pick-up trucks, which prompted the army to order troops stationed in the region to stop and check military vehicles, noting that militants may be disguised as soldiers.

Further attacks against the military are likely in the coming days, amid ongoing senior-level changes in the Nigerian Army divisions stationed in the northeast. Boko Haram often takes advantage of the confusion surrounding leadership changes to increase attacks.

Context

Major General Ibrahim Attahiru was redeployed from the northeast in early December after just seven months in charge, following increased violence in the region.

The counterinsurgency effort that began in 2015, led by West African states (Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger) against Boko Haram, has greatly diminished the extent of the group’s effective territorial control. However, Boko Haram still routinely carries out deadly terrorist attacks, particularly in the northeastern region of Nigeria. Boko Haram frequently attacks private homes in villages, public venues (markets, places of worship, schools, bars, areas where broadcasts of sports competitions are displayed, etc.), 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.

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.