At least 65 Nigerian soldiers have been killed in jihadist raids across the country's north-east over the past two weeks, as the West African state struggles to contain one of the world's deadliest terror groups, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The attacks highlight the persistent security crisis in a region ravaged by a nearly two-decade-long insurgency.
On March 5 and 6, ISWAP gunmen overran four military bases in Borno state, the epicenter of the conflict. Nigerian daily Punch reported that approximately 40 soldiers died in these assaults. In a statement on March 7, coinciding with a mass funeral for the fallen troops, the military disputed the death toll but failed to provide an alternative figure, raising questions about transparency.
The army claimed in another statement that Nigerian troops "successfully defeated multiple coordinated attacks launched by ISWAP terrorists on military locations in Delwa, Goniri, Kukawa, and Mainok" on March 8 and 9. However, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, 300 people, including women and children, were abducted during the raids, with militants employing sophisticated equipment such as anti-aircraft machine guns and drones.
These attacks follow a pattern of coordinated assaults on military facilities in northern Nigeria, where an insurgency that spiked after the extrajudicial killing of Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf in July 2009 continues to wreak havoc. The conflict has spread across the Lake Chad basin, affecting Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, and has displaced more than 2 million people. The sect has since fragmented into at least three factions, including the ruthless ISWAP.
In a recent escalation, a Nigerian general was killed by jihadists in November, who then taunted authorities by releasing footage of his death as the state denied his capture. Last month, 200 US troops arrived in northern Nigeria to train local counterparts, following weeks after US President Donald Trump announced airstrikes on terrorist elements in the region, underscoring the international dimension of the crisis.
The Nigerian establishment, including President Bola Tinubu, has faced heavy criticism for seemingly prioritizing a mass wedding involving 10 children of Junior Defence Minister Bello Matawalle in Abuja last month, amid ongoing security threats. On Tuesday, Matawalle drew further flak for a social media post applauding the defection of the governor of Zamfara, his home state, to the ruling party during a week of multiple ISWAP attacks.
The minister's last post about the military was on January 15, Nigeria's Armed Forces Remembrance Day, where he stated, "We also remember our fallen heroes – those who paid the ultimate price so our nation may live in peace. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten." This contrast between public statements and perceived inaction has fueled public discontent over the government's handling of the insurgency.
Source: www.theguardian.com