Nigeria's military has announced that it successfully killed 35 jihadists in a series of air strikes targeting regions close to its northeastern border with Cameroon. The operations were conducted in response to thwart potential attacks by the jihadists on ground troops, according to a military statement. Nigeria has been grappling with various violent conflicts, including insurgent activities from jihadist groups for over a decade, alongside issues of rampant criminal gangs, sectarian violence, and pervasive kidnappings.
In a related development, a coalition of notable Nigerians, including former government officials, business leaders, and civil society participants, expressed serious concerns regarding the state of violence in the nation. They described certain areas as experiencing "war-time levels of slaughter," declaring that the country is in a state of peace officially. They referenced a report from Amnesty International, which stated that over 10,217 individuals have lost their lives since the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu two years ago. This group has urged the formation of a Presidential Task Force endowed with extensive authorities aimed at quelling the ongoing turmoil, particularly due to the resurgence of jihadist factions like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) in the northeast region.
In the previous week, military officials revealed that nearly 600 militants had been eradicated in the past eight months in this strife-ridden region. However, the accuracy of these claims remains unverified by independent sources. In light of the persistent threat from jihadist forces employing modified commercial drones to assault army bases, the Nigerian Air Force has committed to maintaining aerial support to ground operations aimed at dismantling jihadist havens.
According to United Nations reports, the conflict has culminated in more than 35,000 deaths and displaced over two million individuals. The Institute for Security Studies reported at least 15 jihadist attacks in the current year alone, particularly in proximity to Nigeria's borders with Cameroon and Niger. In a recent development, the United States State Department approved an arms sale worth $346 million to Nigeria, reflecting an increase in international support for the country’s military campaign against these extremist elements.
