Nigeria’s military has announced the death of 35 jihadist fighters following a series of precision air strikes near the country’s north-eastern border with Cameroon. The strikes, conducted in four targeted zones, were aimed at preventing an imminent assault on ground forces.
The operation is part of Nigeria’s ongoing struggle against jihadist insurgencies, which have plagued the nation for over a decade. Alongside extremist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the country also faces threats from criminal gangs, sectarian violence, and rampant kidnappings.
Concerns over escalating violence were echoed on Saturday by a coalition of prominent Nigerians including former ministers, business leaders, and civil society advocates who issued a statement warning that some regions are experiencing “war-time levels of slaughter” despite the country being officially at peace.
Their alarm follows a May report from Amnesty International, which estimated that more than 10,000 people have been killed since President Bola Tinubu assumed office two years ago. The group urged the creation of a Presidential Task Force with sweeping powers to address the surge in violence.
Last week, the Nigerian Army claimed to have eliminated nearly 600 militants in the north-east over an eight-month period, though independent verification of this figure remains unavailable. The Nigerian Air Force reaffirmed its commitment to supporting ground operations and disrupting jihadist logistics in the region.
According to United Nations data, the conflict has claimed over 35,000 lives and displaced more than two million people.
In a bid to bolster Nigeria’s counterterrorism capabilities, the U.S. State Department recently approved a $346 million arms deal, including bombs and munitions, pending Congressional approval.
The Institute for Security Studies reports at least 15 jihadist attacks this year near Nigeria’s borders with Cameroon and Niger. Militants have increasingly employed modified commercial drones to target army installations, complicating military reinforcements.
In a separate operation in north-western Katsina state, the military conducted air strikes against so-called “bandits” a term used for organized criminal gangs. The offensive led to the rescue of 76 kidnapped individuals, including women and children. Tragically, one child died during the rescue.
This mission followed a brutal attack in the village of Unguwan Mantau, where gunmen opened fire on mosque worshippers and nearby residents, killing at least 50 people and abducting around 60. Some of the abductees were freed during the military operation.
Katsina and neighboring Zamfara state remain epicenters of banditry in Nigeria’s north-west, accounting for the highest numbers of deaths and displacements in the region.
