Again jihadist attacks in Nigeria

Dozens of people were killed despite the immediate mobilization of security forces, which included the police, military, and local militias. Residents organized themselves to defend their villages. “Coordinated patrols and operations are currently underway to apprehend the perpetrators,” said Kebbi State Police spokesperson Bashir Usman. A report from Nigerian security services mentions more than “30 civilian casualties.”

The emergence of the Lakurawa group in the region is linked to the activities of the Islamic State in the Sahel. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and one of the continent’s leading oil producers. The country has been struggling with a jihadist insurgency since 2009. At the same time, armed criminal groups supported by local movements associated with radical Islam operate in many parts of Nigeria.

In November 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency and increased the size of the armed forces and police to improve operations against criminal groups. During the same period, the situation in Nigeria drew the attention of the United States. President Donald Trump suggested an American intervention to protect the Christian population, which has been targeted by jihadist attacks. In February 2026, the US administration decided to deploy 200 federal troops to Nigeria. Their primary mission will be to train Nigerian forces in counterterrorism operations, assist in the use of intelligence data, and coordinate military activities.

The United Nations estimates that since 2009, the actions of Islamic extremists have claimed more than 40,000 lives and displaced approximately two million Nigerians.