MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Boko Haram, the notorious jihadist militant group, declared intentions on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, to retake territories recently reclaimed by Nigerian troops.
Their renewed assertiveness has raised alarms over the fragile security situation in Nigeria.
Zagazola Makama, a leading security analyst and expert on the Lake Chad region, revealed this development via a video shared on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.
BOKO HARAM THREATENS TO INTENSIFY USE OF IEDS AND SUICIDE BOMBERS TO CARRY OUT ATTACKS
The Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād Boko Haram group in Mandara Mountain have threatened to intensify use of Amaliya (IEDs) to intensify attacks.
The terrorists also threatened to… pic.twitter.com/W6ToKgUIEv
— Zagazola (@ZagazOlaMakama) August 13, 2023
Highlighting the group’s audacity, the militants issued threats against the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, which they contemptuously termed “Yan Red Cross”.
They accused the CJTF of collaborating with military forces in operations against Boko Haram strongholds.
An armed militant declared in Hausa, “We are here to announce loud and clear that we are fully back to reclaim all the territories we lost to infidels.”
He continued, directly addressing the CJTF, “For you, Red Cross, you are elated because they gave arms to you; let it be known to you that you cannot win against Islam. We depend on the power of Allah and by his might, we will conquer.”
As Nigeria grapples with the Boko Haram threat, separate security challenges continue to test its resilience.
In Zaria, Kaduna State, bandits executed a deadly raid on Saturday, August 12, 2023, killing two individuals in the Kofar Gayan area.
These killings occurred a day after the tragic collapse of parts of the Zaria Central Mosque.
Abbas Tajudeen, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, decried the latest wave of violence.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, Tajudeen emphasized, “The lives of Nigerians, wherever they are, should be protected.”
Drawing attention to the recent deaths, he stated they were “most unfortunate, barbaric and abhorrent.”
Calling for comprehensive action, Tajudeen, representing Zaria Federal Constituency, urged a thorough investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible.
The escalating violence has also prompted civil society organizations to sound the alarm.
Democracy Watch Initiative, DWI, a coalition of NGOs invested in good governance in Northern Nigeria, has requested the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Zamfara State.
Muhammad Sanusi, the Coordinator of DWI, expressed his deep concerns in a recent statement from Kaduna.
“Despite previous government efforts,” Sanusi noted, “security in Zamfara has been deteriorating alarmingly.”
He highlighted that the state capital, Gusau, is teetering on the brink, with bandits operating with increased impunity.
Sanusi remarked, “Since June this year, horrifying instances of violence have escalated, with women and children being primary victims, communities displaced, and many brutally traumatized.”
As Nigeria confronts many security threats, the need for a strategic and comprehensive response has never been more urgent.
