Nigeria’s Army Chief Visits Troops Battling Intensified Jihadist Attacks in the Northeast

Edition: Widad WAHBI

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, visited frontline troops in Maiduguri yesterday Thursday, amid a recent escalation in jihadist attacks in the country’s northeastern region. Addressing the press during his visit, General Musa reassured the nation that “the current situation will not last long,” emphasizing that strategic measures were already underway to counter the renewed wave of violence.

“Steps have been taken to ensure we respond effectively to the ongoing attacks,” he stated, adding that “equipment is currently being moved into the operational theater” to support military efforts.

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the rival Boko Haram group have both intensified their assaults in recent weeks, specifically targeting military installations in Borno State—whose capital, Maiduguri, remains the epicenter of a jihadist insurgency that has persisted since 2009.

According to an AFP tally, at least ten military bases have come under attack in the past two months alone, with no fewer than 100 people killed in April as a result of this new wave of jihadist violence.

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum recently acknowledged the growing threat, warning that the state is losing ground to armed groups unless swift and decisive action is taken.