In the past one month, the intensity of the Boko Haram terror attacks on both civilians and the military facilities have put the military off-guard
By Lukmon Ojerinde
Many security experts have opined that the rift between Nigeria and Niger Republic is responsible for the renewed terror attacks being masterminded by the Boko Haram insurgents in some parts of the North east. These pundits alleged that instead of helping Nigeria to repel the insurgents, Niger Republis has opened its borders with Nigeria for Boko Haram members fleeing Nigerian Military offensive.
Just recently, the armed terrorists including the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) raided the 3 Battalion, a military formation in Rann—the headquarters of Kala Balge—and another base in Gajiram town of Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State.
Rann, located in Borno Central about 200 kilometers from Maiduguri and bordering the Republic of Cameroon, and Gajiram in Borno North, approximately 82 kilometers from the state capital, were both attacked in the coordinated raids.
The renewed violent attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP groups drew strong condemnation from the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, following a series of attacks which left many people dead and others injured.
According to credible sources, during the attack on the military formation in Rann, five soldiers were killed, while six others sustained various degrees of injuries. In Gajiram, troops reportedly offered tactical resistance and repelled the assault, forcing the terrorists to retreat.
The simultaneous attacks, which occurred around midnight on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 happened few hours after another group of insurgents stormed a military base in Marte Area of the State, killing several soldiers and looting arms and ammunition.
Also, some eyewitness account revealed that the terrorists who were heavily armed with sophisticated weapons, almost overran the Rann base before troops from the Operation Hadin Kai fought them back.
Indeed, both Rann and Gajiram have suffered repeated Boko Haram attacks in recent times, without much resistance from the Nigerian Military.
In a recent report, some research experts from the Nextier SPD alleged that more than 100 military personnel and 200 civilians have been killed by Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria in a space of five weeks.
According to the experts, between November 2024 and April 2025, more than 252 attacks were recorded, with January 2025 recording the highest number of attacks by the terrorist groups.
The Nextier SPD Policy Weekly report which was titled: “Re-thinking Nigeria’s Counterinsurgency Strategy: The Aftermath of the Boko Haram Resurgence,” was authored by Dr. Ndu Nwokolo, the Managing Partner at the Nextier and Honorary Fellow at the School of Government, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom and Visiting Research Fellow at the Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security, York University Canada, and Dr. Chibuike Njoku, an Associate Consultant at Nextier, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies, Ile-Ife, and Senior Research Fellow, Institute Francais De Recherche en Afrique (IFRA-Nigeria).
The report examined the current counter-insurgency strategy, analyzed the evolving dynamics of the insurgency, and propose a comprehensive framework that integrates military efforts with governance reforms, inclusive dialogue, and socioeconomic revitalisation.
According to the report, Nigeria is witnessing a resurgence of Boko Haram activity, particularly in the North east and along its border regions, adding that the group has executed coordinated assaults that resulted in the seizure of three local government areas in Borno State, challenging state authority and obstructing humanitarian efforts.
The report said, “Between November 2024 and April 2025, no fewer than 252 attacks were recorded, resulting in the deaths of over 100 military personnel and more than 200 civilians, highlighting not only the human toll but also the deteriorating security environment.
“The resurgence is further characterised by tactical diversification: Boko Haram’s factional groups of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, JAS, and Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, have increased the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), launched ambushes on military convoys, and executed raids on internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and farming communities.
“Despite ongoing military operations and regional cooperation, JAS and ISWAP continue to pose a grave threat to national and regional stability in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. The recent resurgence of attacks in hard-hit areas like Borno, Yobe, and parts of Adamawa underscores the limited success of current approaches that have prioritised mainly kinetic military actions over holistic, community-driven solutions.
“Reports from humanitarian organisations and conflict monitors have flagged growing fatigue within the military ranks, deteriorating civil-military relations, and increasingly sophisticated insurgent tactics.
“The re-emergence of targeted attacks on soft targets, ambushes on military convoys, and the abduction of civilians, including aid workers and schoolchildren signals a dangerous escalation that current policy frameworks have failed to preempt.”
Nextier-SPD report further explained that recent data from November 2024 to April 2025 provides critical insights into the evolving dynamics of insurgent violence in Nigeria, highlighting the limitations of the current counterinsurgency strategy and underscoring the need for a more holistic, people-centred approach.
It said: “The number of recorded incidents fluctuated modestly, peaking in January 2025 (eight incidents) and March 2025 (seven incidents). However, the disparity between incident frequency and severity, especially concerning casualties, is striking.
“January 2025 alone recorded 92 deaths despite a relatively average number of incidents. This suggests an escalation in the lethality of attacks, raising questions about the effectiveness of deterrence and intelligence operations.
“Moreover, kidnap victims, an increasingly visible metric of insecurity, were recorded in February, March, and April 2025, with the highest in April (eight victims). This trend points to a diversification of tactics by insurgents and criminal elements, reflecting operational adaptation and exploiting gaps in state response capabilities.
“A glaring policy gap is the failure to integrate socio-economic interventions meaningfully. Data patterns from the reporting period reveal that military victories do not necessarily translate to improved community security and stabilisation.”
“The persistence of violence is compounded by poverty, youth unemployment, and poor access to education and services, which continue to create fertile ground for radicalisation.
“Additionally, the weak coordination among security agencies, reports of human rights abuses, and community resistance to the reintegration of former fighters have eroded trust and undercut intelligence gathering, key pillars of sustainable security. Given these trends, it is evident that the current strategy is reactive rather than preventative.”
In his own observation a member of the House of Representatives from Zamfara State, Aminu Jaji condemned the escalating insecurity situation in his constituency, painting a harrowing picture of bandit attacks, mass kidnappings, and general lawlessness that have left communities devastated and residents displaced.
While briefing journalists at the National Assembly, the lawmaker, who previously chaired the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, said over 200 attacks have been recorded in communities across Kaura Namoda Local Government Area alone, including Dayo, Banga, Gabaki, Korea, and Madura.
Jaji said, “Just two days ago, 60 people were abducted in Banga. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 30 million naira. Out of those abducted, 10 were killed, and the fate of the remaining 50 hangs in the balance,” he
The lawmaker also alleged that the insurgents were now targeting children and women, while leaders were only making lofty promises and doing little in practice.
Jaji insisted that, “We gave assurances that if our party came to power, insecurity would become history. Unfortunately, the reality today is different,” he said, adding that many communities have been turned into ghost towns due to persistent attacks.
He described chilling incidents, including one where a pregnant woman gave birth in captivity and her newborn twins were reportedly thrown to dogs by a bandit leader, as well as another where a boy with epilepsy was executed for falling in the presence of a bandit.
“A pregnant woman was abducted. She gave birth to twins after getting back to twins while she was in captivity. Then the leader of the bandit took the twins. Then he throw it to his dog. The dog eat the twins one by one, where are we?
“This is something that we need to rise to the occasion. We need to speak to ourselves. I said earlier, whether it is micro or micro operation, so certainly something must be done.
“These are not just stories. These are the everyday realities of our people. Our people are no longer safe, they cannot farm, they cannot trade, and many are internally displaced, unrecognized by both the state and federal governments,” he said.
