Suicide bombings show resilience of Nigerian jihadists despite years of war
Suicide bombers carried out coordinated suicide bombings on Monday in Maiduguri. Nigeria’s president described the attacks in the northeast’s most heavily defended city as “the final desperate” acts of militants trying to spread fear. Experts say the blasts were a sign of strength. It is still not clear which of Nigeria’s militant groups carried out the attack.
The attack underscores the complexity of a sprawling 17-year insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions more from their homes. Some analysts said that there could have been a degree of coordination between Boko Haram militants and ISWAP. Ikemesit Effiong, partner at SBM Intelligence, said, “We have to see this as the groups oozing confidence in their ability to wreck terror in that part of the country,” and “We think this is the start of a spate of bombings, not just in Maiduguri but also less protected urban areas in the northeast.” President Bola Tinubu said on Tuesday he had approved additional equipment and support for the military, which he promised would “completely defeat” the militants.
ACLED said Monday’s attack was the deadliest suicide bombing in Nigeria for seven years. Nigeria’s military said it had foiled four attacks in separate locations outside Maiduguri ahead of Monday’s bombings. Malik Samuel, senior researcher at Good Governance Africa, said militant groups had the ability to strike anywhere in Borno state.
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Suicide bombings in Nigeria highlight the ongoing struggle against militant groups despite government efforts. Experts suggest these attacks reveal the strength and adaptability of groups like Boko Haram - raising concerns about the effectiveness of current strategies.
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