Nigeria's military has reported the deaths of 35 jihadists following a series of strategic air strikes conducted near its northeastern border with Cameroon. The military's operations targeted multiple locations to thwart imminent attacks aimed at ground troops. For over a decade, Nigeria has grappled with challenges posed by jihadist groups, rampant criminal gangs, sectarian violence, and widespread kidnappings.
Recently, a collective of influential Nigerians, including former government officials and civil society leaders, expressed alarm about "war-time levels of slaughter" in certain regions, despite the nation being officially at peace. They highlighted a report from Amnesty International that indicated a shocking toll of over 10,000 fatalities since President Bola Tinubu's administration began two years ago. This group has urged the establishment of a Presidential Task Force with comprehensive authority to curb ongoing conflicts, particularly against resurgent groups such as Boko Haram and the offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap).
In a separate development, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) committed to continuing air support for ground operations aimed at dismantling jihadist strongholds. The clash has resulted in over 35,000 deaths and displaced two million people, according to United Nations statistics. In an effort to bolster security, the US State Department has approved the sale of $346 million in arms to Nigeria to assist in the fight against unrest.
The Institute for Security Studies reported that at least 15 jihadist attacks have occurred this year near Nigeria’s borders with Cameroon and Niger, where militants have adopted the use of modified drones to assault military bases, complicating reinforcements.
Aside from combating jihadist threats, the Nigerian military has also targeted "bandits" — a term indicating local criminal gangs — in Katsina state. Reports suggest that recent military actions resulted in the rescue of 76 individuals, including women and children, although the operation faced tragedy with one child reportedly losing their life. This military response followed a heinous attack last week in the village of Unguwan Mantau, in which gunmen unleashed violence on worshippers and residents, leading to at least 50 fatalities and around 60 abductions, some of whom were saved during military intervention. Katsina and adjacent Zamfara state have been severely affected by banditry, which continues to drive up death tolls and displacement in the region.
