Nigeria: Boko Haram ambushes soldiers in Yobe state July 21

Event

Boko Haram militants ambushed a detachment of Nigerian soldiers in the Tarmua local government area (LGA) of Yobe state, on Saturday, July 21. The attack took place on Sasawa Road near the Babangida market in Tarmua (located north of Damaturu). Militants ambushed troops from the 223 Battalion before looting the market for food and supplies. A Nigerian military spokesman confirmed the attack and noted that there were casualties on both sides, though no numbers were given.

This ambush comes a week after an attack on a Nigerian military base in Jilli (Yobe state) that killed at least 33 people and wounded 24 others and another ambush carried out against a military convoy in Bama (Borno state). There were also reports of two Boko Haram attacks on July 19 along the Chad-Niger border to the north of Lake Chad, which resulted in the deaths of 28 people, including ten militants, and the abduction of ten civilians.

Context

The northeastern region of Nigeria is highly susceptible to attacks by Boko Haram, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) in March 2015 and formally adopted the name of Islamic State in West Africa. While Nigerian military forces have pushed Boko Haram insurgents from much of their previously claimed territory over the past year, attacks by the insurgent group have been on the rise since June 2017.

Advice

Individuals in Yobe state are advised to monitor the situation, remain vigilant for militant activity, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities and their home governments.

The security environment in Nigeria is complex, and is particularly concerning in the northeast and extreme south of the country due to the presence of armed groups, high crime rates, and the risk of kidnapping. Some Western governments consequently advise against travel to certain areas of the northeast (e.g. states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Jigawa, and Kano states) and the southern Niger Delta region (e.g. states of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers). It is also advisable to avoid nonessential travel to Zamfara, Sokoto, Plateau, and Kaduna states. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel to these areas.