Nigeria: Government confirms 110 girls abducted in Dapchi /update 1

Event

On Sunday, February 25, the federal government’s information ministry confirmed that 110 girls were abducted by suspected Boko Haram militants in Dapchi (Yobe state) last week. President Muhammadu Buhair vowed to return the girls to their families and ordered security forces to ensure that schools and students are protected. The Nigerian Air Force also announced that additional aircraft are being deployed into the area to conduct search operations for the victims. Details regarding the attack on February 19 are still unclear, as local residents, state officials, and security sources have presented contradictory information.

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.