Nigeria unable to stop Islamist violence

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) accuses the Nigerian government and the country’s security forces of failing to take measures against the terror movement Boko Haram and protect the civilian population from Islamist violence. Despite the government’s bold declarations of victory, at least 106 people have lost their lives in Boko Haram attacks in northeastern Nigeria since Christmas 2015. “The recent escalation of violence is a slap in the face for president Muhammadu Buhari, who had declared the terrorist group “technically defeated” on Christmas Eve,“ said the STP’s Africa-expert, Ulrich Delius in Göttingen on Tuesday. When Buhari took office in May 2015, he ordered the army to smash Boko Haram before December 2015. During the last six years, at least 17,700 people lost their lives due to Boko Haram’s attacks and the ruthless countermeasures of the security forces.

Boko Haram had to give up many of its controlled areas due to massive military actions carried out by the security forces and allied militias during the last six months, but the attacks are still spreading fear among the civilian population in the northeast of the country. “As before, the civilian population is exposed to terror. In this respect, it makes no difference whether Boko Haram controls an entire region or is limited to suicide bombings to terrorize Christians and Muslims,” said Delius.

Thus, at least 60 people died in firefights and suicide bombings near the town of Maiduguri (Borno State) on Sunday/Monday. 30 people lost their lives and 16 were injured when to female suicide bombers struck in Madagali (Adamawa). On Christmas Day, 16 people got killed and six civilians were abducted when Boko Haram fighters raided and burned down the village Kimba (Borno State).

Another issue is the still uncertain fate of the 219 Christian schoolgirls who were abducted from a boarding school in Chibok 624 days ago. The family members of the abduction victims have little faith that the army and the political representatives will be able to clarify their whereabouts.

“For Buhari’s government, the Boko Haram conflict is merely a security issue,” said Delius. “There has been no adequate political response to the crisis – so there is little hope for lasting peace in northeast Nigeria.”

Header photo: European Commission DG ECHO via Flickr