2009 Boko Haram uprising Boko Haram conducted its operations more or less peacefully during the first seven years of its existence. That changed in 2009 when the Nigerian government launched an investigation into the group's activities following reports that its members were arming themselves. Prior to that the government reportedly repeatedly ignored warnings about the increasingly militant character of the organisation, including that of a military officer. After Yusuf's killing,
Abubakar Shekau became the leader and held this position in January 2015.
2010 resurgence Nearly six months after the killing of Yusuf, the group carried out its first terrorist attack in Borno in January, killing four people. During the following few years, the violence escalated in terms of both frequency and intensity. On 7 September, a
prison break in Bauchi freed more than 700 Boko Haram militants, replenishing their force. On 24 December, Boko Haram
used four bombs to kill 32 people in Jos, Plateau State. On the same day, they killed six people in attacks against churches in Maiduguri.
2011 On 29 May, a few hours after
Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as
president,
several bombings purportedly by Boko Haram killed 15 and injured 55. On 16 June, Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the
Abuja police headquarters bombing, the first known
suicide attack in Nigeria. Two months later the
United Nations building in Abuja was bombed, signifying the first time that Boko Haram attacked an international organisation. On 4 November, it carried out
attacks in Damaturu in Yobe and in Maiduguri, killing over a hundred people, and on 22 and 23 December
clashing with security forces, resulting in at least 68 deaths. On
25 December, Boko Haram attacked several churches with bombings and shootings. 15 June marked the start of a Federal Government-sanctioned military effort to counter the growing threat of Boko Haram's insurgency. With 21 Armoured Brigade (21 Bde) of the
Nigerian Army as its nucleus, Joint Task Force Operation Restore Order (JTF ORO 1) marked the start of the Army's lengthy
counter-insurgency (COIN) campaign against Boko Haram. The campaign has gone through several phases and has greatly escalated in scale, capacity, components and stakeholders, since that time. Results, however, have sometimes been mixed and the Army has been criticised for being too kinetic in its COIN.
2012 In January in Nigeria, Boko Haram
attacked Mubi,
Yola and
Gombi – all in
Adamawa State – in addition to Maiduguri and
Kano. During the same month,
Abubakar Shekau, a former deputy to Yusuf, appeared in a video posted on
YouTube. According to
Reuters, Shekau took control of the group after Yusuf's death in 2009. Authorities had previously believed that Shekau died during the 2009 uprising. By early 2012, the group was responsible for over 900 deaths. On 8 March, a small
Special Boat Service team and the Nigerian Army
attempted to rescue two
hostages, Briton Chris McManus and Italian Franco Lamolinara, being held in
Sokoto, by members of the Boko Haram terrorist organisation loyal to
al-Qaeda. Both hostages were killed by their captors before or during the rescue attempt. All the hostage takers were reportedly killed. On 8 April, at least 38 people
were killed by a suicide car bomber in
Kaduna. On 24 June, about 40 inmates escaped during a prison break in Damaturu. On 17 June, at least 12 people
were killed by three bombings of churches in
Kaduna State. On 7 August, 19 people
were killed in a mass shooting in
Kogi State. On 1–2 November, at least 25 men
were killed at the
Federal Polytechnic, Mubi. On 25 December, six people
were killed in Potiskum and another six in Maiduguri. On 28 December, fifteen people were killed in a village in northeastern Nigeria.
2013 Government offensive In May, Nigerian government forces launched an offensive in the Borno region in an attempt to dislodge Boko Haram fighters after a
state of emergency was called on 14 May. The state of emergency – which was still in force in May 2014 – applied to the states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa in northeastern Nigeria. The offensive had initial success, but the Boko Haram rebels were able to regain their strength. Several authors have cited the frailty of the Nigerian security system and corruption in the management of the military as some of the factors that allowed Boko Haram to regain their strength during this period.
Attacks On 8 February, gunmen killed at least nine
polio vaccinators in Kano. On 18 March, a suicide car bomber
rammed a bus in Kano, killing over 20 people. On 16 and 17 April,
dozens of civilians were killed during a battle in
Baga, Borno, between Boko Haram and the Nigerian Army. On 6 July, Boko Haram
massacred 42 students in Yobe, bringing the school year to an early end in the state. On 5 August, Boko Haram launched dual attacks on Bama and Malam Fatori, leaving 35 dead. On 11 August, Boko Haram
killed 44 people in a
mass shooting at a
mosque in
Konduga, Borno. On 6 October, the Nigerian Army won
a battle against Boko Haram in
Damboa, Borno. On 2 November in Borno, gunmen attacked a convoy returning from a wedding, killing over 30 people.
2014 Chibok kidnapping and ambush On 15 April, Boko Haram terrorists
abducted about 276 teenage female pupils from a
secondary school in
Chibok in Borno. The abduction was widely attributed to Boko Haram. It was reported that the group had taken the girls to neighbouring Cameroon and Chad where they were to be
sold into marriages at a price below a
dollar each. The abduction of another eight girls was reported later. These kidnappings raised public protests, with some protesters holding placards bearing the
Twitter tag #BringBackOurGirls, which had caught international attention.
The Guardian reported that the British
Royal Air Force conducted
Operation Turus in Nigeria in April in response to the Chibok kidnapping. A source involved with the operation told
The Observer that "The girls were located in the first few weeks of the RAF mission", and that "We [RAF] offered to rescue them, but the Nigerian government declined", this was because it viewed any action to be taken as a "national issue", and for it to be resolved by Nigerian intelligence and security services, the source added that the girls were then tracked by the aircraft as they were dispersed into progressively smaller groups over the following months. Several countries pledged support to the Nigerian government and to help their military with
intelligence gathering on the whereabouts of the girls and the operational camps of Boko Haram. On 13–14 May, Boko Haram
ambushed Nigerian soldiers who were searching for the kidnapped girls.
Jos bombings On 20 May, two bombs in the city of
Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria,
were detonated, killing at least 118 people and injuring more than 56 others. The bombs exploded 30 minutes apart, one at a local marketplace at approximately 3:00 and the second in a parking lot next to a hospital at approximately 3:30, where rescuers responding to the first accident were killed. Though no group or individual has claimed responsibility, the attacks have been attributed to Boko Haram.
First responders were unable to reach the scene of the accidents, as "thousands of people were fleeing the scene in the opposite direction". The bombs had been positioned to kill as many people as possible, regardless of religion, which differed from previous attacks in which non-Muslims were targeted. The bombers were reported to have used a "back-to-back blast" tactic, in which an initial bomb explodes at a central location, and another explodes a short time later with the intent to kill people working to rescue the wounded.
Maiduguri bombings In 2014, Boko Haram militants increased their attacks on cities and towns in northern Nigeria and captured part of the country's northeast. These attacks included bombings in Maiduguri in
January,
July and November.
Escalation in fighting The increasing intensity of the insurgency prompted the Nigerian government to launch an offensive, and with the help of Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, they recaptured many areas that were formerly under the control of Boko Haram. In late 2014, Boko Haram seized control of
Bama, Borno, according to the town's residents. In December, it was reported that "people too elderly to flee Gwoza Local Government Area were being rounded up and taken to two schools where the militants opened fire on them." Over 50 elderly people in Bama were killed. A "gory" video was released of insurgents shooting over a hundred civilians in a school dormitory in the town of Bama.
2015 Baga massacre Between 3 and 7 January, Boko Haram attacked the town of
Baga and
killed up to 2,000 people, perhaps the largest
massacre by Boko Haram.
Maiduguri bombing On 10 January, 19 people were killed in
a suicide bombing at a market in Maiduguri. The city is at the heart of the Boko Haram insurgency. On 12 January, Boko Haram
carried out an unsuccessful attack on a Cameroonian
Army base.
Counter-offensive against Boko Haram On 23 January, a coalition of military forces from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger began a
counter-insurgency campaign against Boko Haram. In the early hours of 25 January, Boko Haram launched a major assault on the city. On 26 January, CNN reported that the attack on Maiduguri by "hundreds of gunmen" had been repelled, but the nearby town of
Monguno was captured by Boko Haram. The Nigerian Army said they repelled another attack on Maiduguri on 31 January. On 4 February, the
Chad Army killed over 200 Boko Haram militants. On 4 and 5 February, Boko Haram carried out
a massacre in Fotokol, Far North Region, Cameroon, killing 81 civilians, 13 Chadian soldiers and 6 Cameroonian soldiers. On 6 February, Boko Haram
attacked Bosso and Diffa in Niger. On 15 February, a
suicide bombing occurred in Damaturu. On 17 February, the Nigerian military retook Monguno in a coordinated air and ground assault. On 22 February, a suicide bombing occurred in Potiskum. On 24 February, suicide bombings occurred in Potiskum and Kano. On 2 March, the Nigerian Armed Forces defeated Boko Haram in the
Battle of Konduga. On 7 March, Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau pledged allegiance to the
Islamic State (IS) via an audio message posted on the organisation's Twitter account. Nigerian Army spokesperson Sami Usman Kukasheka said the pledge was a sign of weakness and that Shekau was like a "drowning man". On 12 March, ISIL's spokesman
Abu Mohammad al-Adnani released an audiotape in which he welcomed the pledge of allegiance, and described it as an expansion of the group's caliphate to
West Africa. Following its declaration of loyalty to ISIL, Boko Haram was designated as the group's "West Africa Province" (Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP) while Shekau was appointed as its first
vali (governor). Furthermore, ISIL started to support Boko Haram, but also began to interfere in its internal matters. For example, ISIL's central leadership attempted to reduce Boko Haram's brutality toward civilians and internal critics, as Shekau's ideology was "too extreme even for the Islamic State". On 24 March, residents of
Damasak, Borno, said that Boko Haram had taken more than 400 women and children from the town as they fled from coalition forces who
retook the area and
found a
mass grave of Boko Haram victims. On 27 March, the Nigerian army captured
Gwoza, which was believed to be the location of Boko Haram headquarters. On election day, 28 March, Boko Haram extremists killed 41 people, including a legislator, to discourage hundreds from voting. soldiers during
counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram in March In March, Boko Haram lost control of the Borno towns of
Bama and
Gwoza (believed to be their headquarters) Boko Haram forces were believed to have retreated to the
Mandara Mountains, along the
Cameroon–Nigeria border. On 16 March, the Nigerian Army said that it had recaptured Bama. On 27 March, the day before the
Nigerian presidential election, the
Nigerian Army announced that it had recaptured the town of Gwoza from Boko Haram. In May, the Nigerian military announced that they had released about 700 women from camps in Sambisa Forest. On 12 July, two female suicide bombers wearing burqas killed 13 people in Fotokol. In response, the governor of Cameroon's Far North
banned the Islamic veil and
burqa. In August, it was reported that over a thousand deaths had occurred since the inauguration of the new administration. On 10 October, suicide bombers
attacked a market and
refugee camp in Baga Sola,
Lac, Chad. On 28 October, it was announced that Nigerian troops had rescued 338 people from Boko Haram near the group's Sambisa Forest stronghold. Of those rescued, 192 were children and 138 were women. In December,
Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria, claimed that Boko Haram was "technically defeated" and it was reported that 1,000 women had been rescued from Boko Haram in January 2016. On 5 December, four female suicide bombers
attacked a market on the Chadian side of Lake Chad. On 28 December, female suicide bombers killed over 55 people in
Madagali in Adamawa and Maiduguri.
American military support In early October 2015, the
United States military deployed 300 troops to Cameroon, with the approval of the
Cameroonian government, with the primary mission of providing
intelligence support to local forces and conducting
reconnaissance flights. As of May 2016, U.S. personnel were involved in
drone operations from
Garoua, Far North Region, Cameroon, to help provide intelligence in the region to assist local forces. There were additional drone operations based out of Niger. U.S. Army soldiers in Cameroon are also providing IED awareness training to the country's infantry forces.
2016 fighters of
Michika in 2016
Bodo bombings On 25 January, four Boko Haram suicide bombers
killed over 30 people in Bodo, Far North, Cameroon.
Dalori, Dikwa and Maiduguri attacks On 30 January, at least 86 people
were killed by Boko Haram in
Dalori, Borno. On 9 February, two young female suicide bombers
killed at least 60 people at an
internally displaced persons' camp in
Dikwa, Borno. On 16 March, two female suicide bombers
killed 22 people on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
Boko Haram-IS infighting and loss of territory In March, Boko Haram was reported to have used islands in
Lake Chad as bases. As Boko Haram's power waned, Shekau's leadership was increasingly criticised among Boko Haram and ISIL's central command. These elements repeatedly attempted to convince Shekau to change his tactics or his extreme ideas (such as considering everyone an apostate who has not openly sided with him, including all Muslims). Shekau refused to budge, and openly disobeyed ISIL's "
Caliph"
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in regard to various matters. ISIL and parts of Boko Haram eventually came to the conclusion that this was no longer tolerable, whereupon Shekau was removed from his position as vali of ISIL's West Africa Province in August.
Abu Musab al-Barnawi, a son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf was appointed as his successor. This event resulted in an open split among the Nigerian insurgents. Shekau refused to accept his dismissal, rallied a large number of supporters and violently opposed Barnawi and ISIL's central command. In turn, Barnawi and those who were loyal to him declared Shekau's group
Khawarij. On 31 August, Major General Lucky Irabor stated that the militants now only controlled a few villages and towns near Lake Chad and in Sambisa Forest. He further stated that the military expected recapturing the final strongholds of the group within weeks. On 24 December, President Muhammadu Buhari said that Boko Haram had been ousted from their last stronghold in the Sambisa Forest, effectively reducing Boko Haram to an insurgent force. This victory left Boko Haram without any territorial holdings; however, Boko Haram still maintains an extensive ability to carry out attacks.
2017 On 7 January, a group of Boko Haram militants attacked a Nigerian Army base in Yobe, killing five soldiers. In response, the Nigerian Army launched retaliatory strikes and killed 15 militants. On 17 January, a
Nigerian Air Force jet
mistakenly bombed an
IDP camp near the Cameroonian border in
Rann, Borno, mistaking it for a Boko Haram encampment. The airstrike left 115 people dead. On 22 March, at least six people were killed and 16 wounded when four female suicide bombers
blew themselves up on the outskirts of Maiduguri city. On 22 March, the Nigerian
Department of State Services (DSS) announced that a suspected member of Boko Haram had been arrested in northeastern Yobe State. The suspect confessed to details of a plot to attack the American and British embassies, and other western targets in Abuja. The DSS also later announced that between 25 and 26 March, five suspected members of Boko Haram had been arrested, thus thwarting the plot. On 2 April, the Nigerian military began what it said was its "final offensive" to retake Boko Haram's last strongholds. On 17 May, the Nigerian Army reported that it had arrested about 126 suspected Boko Haram terrorists at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Damboa, Borno. soldiers during
counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram in November 2017 In September, Boko Haram militants kidnapped about 40 young adults, women and children and killed 18 in the town of Banki, 130 km southeast of
Maiduguri, Borno State, on the border of Nigeria and Cameroon. Boko Haram was reported to have killed 380 people between April and September in the Lake Chad area. On 21 November, a suicide bomber
killed 50 people in a mosque in Mubi. In December, fighters who were believed to belong to ISWAP
attacked a patrol of US Army Special Forces and Nigerian soldiers in the Lake Chad Basin Region in Niger. The coalition troops managed to repel the assault without suffering any casualties.
2018 On 16 February, three suicide bombers
killed about 20 people in Konduga. On 19 February, Boko Haram
kidnapped 110 schoolgirls from
Dapchi, Yobe. By March, two main insurgent factions were still active, and continued to wage an insurgency campaign against the government: The followers of Abubakar Shekau (Boko Haram) operated mainly in southern Borno, while the faction of Abu Musab al-Barnawi (ISWAP) was mostly located around
Lake Chad. On 1 May, two suicide bombers
killed dozens of people in Mubi. On 15 July, hundreds of Nigerian soldiers went missing after ISWAP forces led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi overran a Nigerian Army base in the northeastern part of Nigeria. Less than 100 Nigerian soldiers returned after the attack, the attack came 24 hours after ISIL ambushed a military convoy in neighbouring Borno. The attack on the base resulted in a battle that lasted over an hour, it is unknown if there were any casualties in the assault, a local pro-government militia said the military had sustained some casualties, this attack marks Boko Haram's first major gain since 2015. On 8 September, ISWAP fighters managed to capture the town of Gudumbali in central Borno, marking their first major gain in nearly two years. The next day, ISIL's West Africa Province released a video showing footage from combat with the
Nigerian Army in the area. In late December, ISWAP launched another offensive and captured Baga in northeastern Borno State.
2019 and Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, Cameroon, and Niger in early 2019, after the rebels' victories during the
early Chad Basin campaign Barnawi's ISWAP launched a major offensive in January, attacking several Nigerian military bases, including those at Magumeri and Gajiram. Insurgents also overran and destroyed the IDP town of
Rann, displacing its inhabitants yet again. The destruction of Rann was initially attributed to ISWAP, but Shekau's Boko Haram later claimed responsibility. On 15 March they attacked a military post in
Toumour, injuring a soldier and during which 50 insurgents were killed. On 23 March, they carried out
massacres against the Chadian and Nigerian armies. The Chadian Defense Minister,
Mahamat Abali Salah, announced on 31 March the launch of "
Operation Boma's Wrath", in response to Boko the 23 March massacres. The operation's target is to wipe out the Boko Haram remnants around
Lake Chad, the operation is named after the island where Boko Haram launched a seven-hour assault, that Chadian President
Idriss Déby said, was the worst the country's military had ever suffered. On 9 June, Boko Haram
killed 81 villagers in a mass shooting in
Gubio, Borno. On 13 June, Boko Haram killed at least 20 soldiers in Monguno and more than 40 civilians in Nganzai. On 29 July, the convoy of the Borno governor,
Babagana Zulum was attacked by Boko Haram. Five people were killed in fighting, including three policemen. The governor was not hurt. On 2 August, Boko Haram killed at least 18 people in a
grenade attack on an
IDP camp in Far North, Cameroon. On 9 August, ISWAP killed six French
aid workers and two Nigerien civilians in
Kouré, Tillabéri Region, Niger. On 19 August, Islamic State militants took hundreds of people hostage in Borno. September saw a rise in attacks. On 6 September, Boko Haram raided a village of Kurmari, where they killed four civilians in their sleep. They also raided two villages at outskirts of Maiduguri, six civilians were killed in this raid. Nigerian military carried out an operation against Boko Haram in Hamdaga Makaranta town in
Gwoza local government area. Five insurgents were killed and seven hostages were rescued, several insurgents were wounded but managed to escape. On 17 September, Boko Haram raided a village in Lake Chad region in Chad, several civilians were abducted. On 18 September, Nigerian military carried out an air operation against Boko Haram in Kassa Kura in Maiduguri. Sixteen insurgents were killed, 38 were arrested, their ammunition was seized. Several insurgents escaped with wounds. On 19 September,
Chadian military attacked Boko Haram in the village of Barkalam near the border with Nigeria, 15 Boko Haram fighters were killed in the fighting, 12 hostages were rescued. Boko Haram and Chadian military later clashed at Bilabrim where five insurgents were killed and two Chadian soldiers were wounded. On 20 September, Boko Haram ambushed a military convoy, killing 3 soldiers at the place and fatally wounding Colonel Dahiru Bako. On 25 September, Boko Haram ambushed a military convoy accompanying government officials near Monguno town, killing 15; Eight policemen, three soldiers, and four Civilian Joint Task Force members. On 26 September,
Babagana Zulum and his convoy were attacked by Boko Haram near Baga. Zulum was unhurt but 30 people were killed in the attack; twelve policemen, five soldiers, four members of a government-backed militia and nine civilians. Many others were injured. On 27 September, Islamic State militants attacked a convoy in Borno, killing 18 people. On 29 September,
Babagana Zulum's convoy noticed a donkey on the road and shot at it. After the donkey exploded, insurgents who
planted a bomb on it came out of hiding and fired at them. Several of Boko Haram insurgents were killed in the following shootout, while no one from Zulum's convoy was injured or killed. Vehicles of the convoy sustained bullet damage. Violence resurged in November. On 1 November, Boko Haram raided Takulashi village near Chibok; they came from Sambisa Forest. Anti-jihadist militia from Chibok mobilised in two trucks and attempted to defend the village but were outnumbered by insurgents who managed to seize one of their trucks. Twelve people were killed and seven civilians abducted. On 9 November,
Nigerian military carried out two operations against Boko Haram. In the village of Buni Gari 5 Boko Haram insurgents were killed and several others were injured. Nigerian military also rescued four hostages held by Boko Haram in another operation. On 21 November, Boko Haram ambushed a Nigerian military convoy between Jagiran and Monguno. Six soldiers were killed and 26 were injured in an ambush, several soldiers also went missing. On 22 November, Convoy belonging to
governor of Borno,
Babagana Zulum was attacked while he was traveling to meet with government officials in Baga. Seven soldiers and two civilians were killed in this ambush, but the governor was unhurt. His appointment was cancelled. On 28 November, Boko Haram
massacred about 110 farmers in Koshebe, Borno. the central market and various vehicles were burnt down. According to a local elected official nearly 60% of the village was destroyed by the attack which lasted 3 hours. On 24 December, Boko Haram attacked the Christian village of Pemi in Borno. The attackers burnt 10 homes and looted food supplies that were meant to be distributed to residents to celebrate
Christmas; they also took medical supplies from the village. Security officials warned that an attack on a Christian holiday is likely, so many residents managed to escape the attack. Nevertheless 11 civilians were killed including a Christian priest. Also on Christmas Boko Haram kidnapped around 40
loggers in Wulgo forest; three loggers were killed while trying to escape. Loggers from the village of Shehuri in Borno went to the forest but they did not return in the evening as they usually do. The next day local anti-jihadist militia leader mobilised a search party which went deep into the forest and recovered three bodies. On 26 December, Boko Haram raided the villages of Shafa, Azare, and Tashan Alade in Borno. Ten people were killed during the raids, seven of them being civilians, two policemen, and one
CJTF militiaman. Houses, shops, churches and one police station were burnt down during the raids. On 28 December, A landmine planted by Boko Haram in Larothe Gomani village killed four Nigerian soldiers. On 29 December, seven hunters were killed and nine other were injured after their vehicle hit a
landmine planted by Boko Haram near the village of Kayamla. They were recruited by the government to help fight against the jihadist groups, and when their vehicle hit a landmine they were pursuing Boko Haram insurgents. Operation Tuka Takaibango was announced by Nigeria's military in early January. On 4 January, at around 4 am three members of a local vigilance committee were shot dead by Boko Haram in Mayo Moskota area. A civilian was killed by Boko Haram in Kolofata area the same morning. On 9 January, At least 28 Boko Haram insurgents were killed during clashes with Nigerian Army in
Gujba, while several other insurgents escaped, one Nigerian soldier was killed and one was injured, according to a military spokesman of Nigeria. On 11 January, ISWAP ambushed Nigerian military convoy in Gazagana village, killing 13 and injuring several others. On 13 January, an ISWAP suicide bomber killed six Nigerian soldiers as they conducted a raid in the village of Talala, Borno. On 14 January, ISWAP militants attacked Garin Gada village in Yobe, killing at least two civilians, whilst also raiding and looting food from the village. On 17 January, seven IEDs were activated against a Nigerian Army convoy of APCs and other vehicles, escorted by a foot patrol in Gorgi, Borno. Over 30 soldiers were killed. Three vehicles were destroyed, and an armored vehicle, weapons and ammunition were seized. On 18 January, ISIS operatives exchanged fire and activated several IEDs against Nigerian soldiers in Matari, about 50 km west of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. At least 20 soldiers were killed. Two ATVs were destroyed. In addition, two ATVs, an APC, weapons and ammunition were seized. On 31 January, two attacks took place in northern Nigeria. One in the village of Chabal, leaving two policemen dead and two abducted. The second attack occurred in Dikwa, resulting in the deaths of 2 soldiers and leaving two female police officers abducted. February saw increased action with government forces. On 5 February, it was reported that Nigerian troops backed by jets overran several camps of Boko Haram in the
Timbuktu triangle, including the Dole camp. They also liberated Talala, which was seized in 2013 by militants and became their second largest camp, right behind the Lake Chad region. Besides Talala they also liberated Buk, Gorgi and overran camps in Kidari, Argude, Takwala, Chowalta and Galdekore. Two high-profile ISWAP commanders, Modu Sulum and Ameer Modu Borzogo, fled along with some fighters during intense fighting but several other commanders and fighters have been killed and many abducted hostages were rescued. On 5 February, ISWAP operatives ambushed Nigerian soldiers in the Goniri region, near the
Niger-Nigeria border. The two sides exchanged fire. Six soldiers were killed and a few others were wounded. The other soldiers fled. ISIS operatives seized vehicles, weapons and ammunition. On 7 February, 'bandits' raided two villages in northwest Nigeria's Kaduna State, leading to the deaths of 19 people, according to the Nigerian government. On 8 February, ISWAP operatives attacked a Nigerian Army checkpoint in Monguno, about 70 km from the Nigeria-Chad-Cameroon tri-border area. There was an exchange of fire. Three soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. ISIS operatives seized vehicles, weapons and ammunition. On February 9, a Nigerian Army checkpoint was attacked in Geidam, Yobe, about 30 km from the Nigeria-Niger border. The sides exchanged fire. Four soldiers were killed, three were taken prisoner and the rest fled. ISIS operatives seized weapons left at the site and set fire to a Nigerian army vehicle. An attack was carried out against the headquarters of a militia supporting the Nigerian Army in Gubio, Borno. There was an exchange of fire. Three soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. The other soldiers fled. ISIS operatives seized weapons and ammunition and set fire to vehicles. On 17 February, a Nigerian Army convoy was ambushed and targeted by gunfire in the Karito region, near Lake Chad. Three soldiers were killed and several others were wounded in the exchange of fire. ISWAP operatives seized weapons and ammunition, and set fire to three vehicles. On 23 February, Boko Haram militants stormed Maiduguri,
killing at 10 people, firing rocket-propelled grenades in the city. This is the first attack of its kind there in years. On 25 February, Gunmen on motorcycles stormed into several villages in Igabi and Chikun districts of Kaduna State, leaving at least 18 people dead. On 26 February, a midnight attack on a secondary school in Zamfara resulted in at least
279 schoolgirls being kidnapped. On 28 February, ISWAP ambushed the convoy of the Commandant of Nigeria's counterinsurgency operation, Farouq Yahaya, killing at least two soldiers. The second half of the year was relatively peaceful. On 1 March, ISWAP took over the town of Dikwa for several hours after forcing government forces out of the settlement. Whilst in Dikwa, the militants attacked a Nigerian Army base killing six soldiers. The men returned the next day killing another two soldiers. ISWAP took over the town of Bukarti, Yobe. IS militants also attacked a Nigerian Army convoy near Geidam, Yobe. The attack left two Nigerian soldiers dead. On 25 April, 31 Nigerian soldiers
were killed in Mainok, Borno. On 19–20 May, ISWAP
attacked and overran Boko Haram militants in the Sambisa Forest, Borno, and eventually captured the forest. The leader of Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau was killed during the fighting, reportedly using a suicide vest. The remaining Boko Haram loyalists rallied under Sahalaba who declared that they were not yet defeated. On 24 June, the
United Nations Development Program released a report saying that the insurgency in Nigeria, as of the end of 2020, had killed around 350,000 people, by direct and indirect means. On 29 October it was reported that Nigeria's army it had killed the new leader of ISWAP, Malam Bako, in a military operation this month, two weeks after announcing the death of the group's former head Abu Musab al-Barnawi. On 6 November, non-IS sources claimed that ISWAP had elected Sani Shuwaram as the new leading commander. On 13 November, Nigerian Army Brigadier General Dzarma Zirkusu and three other Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ISWAP attack on
Askira town in Borno State. On 30 December, the
Multinational Joint Task Force (MTJF) announced that six troops from Nigeria and Niger were killed and 16 wounded by ISWAP militants during an operation in December 2021 in
Borno State. In the same operation, 22 militants were killed and 17 captured.
2022 2022 saw gains for Nigerian forces, including capturing or killing several top leaders. Spring saw Nigerian forces kill a succession of insurgent leaders. On 18 February it was reported that Nigerian aircraft eliminated some terrorist kingpins including ISWAP Commander Mallam Buba Danfulani during a raid on Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist's strongholds around the Tumbuns area in Lake Chad and Sambisa Forests surroundings. Five other commanders by the names of: Musa Amir Jaish, Mahd Maluma, Abu-Ubaida, Abu-Hamza and Abu-Nura umarun Leni were also killed. On 16 March the leader of Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, a Boko Haram splinter group, Alhaji Ari-Difinoma, surrendered to troops. On March 20 the new leader of ISWAP,
Sani Shuwaram, and other terrorists were killed in airstrikes. On 9 April ISWAP commander Abubakar Dan-Buduma and other terrorists were killed in Operations by the MNJTF. On May 14 it was reported that MNJTF airstrikes killed two prominent ISWAP leaders, Bako Gorgore and Aba-Ibrahim in Lake Chad. On May 15 it was reported that Boko Haram commander Abubakar Sarki and several terrorists were killed during a clash with the Nigerian army in the Sambisa Forest. On May 23 Boko Haram fighters killed around 40 farmers. On May 30 the MNJTF troops from Nigeria and Chad, alongside Operation HADIN KAI, stormed the general area of Tumbun Rago, Tumbun Dilla and Jamina settlements and succeeded in eliminating over 25 terrorists. The troops also recovered one AK-47 rifle, one anti-aircraft gun, and hundreds of assorted ammunition. In June, a group of hunters ambushed and killed a Boko Haram commander and his deputy while wounding several of their escaping fighters. On 1 June a rivalry clash between ISWAP and the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād led to the killing of a commander by the name Ummate Ma, and scores of his fighters. On 5 June members of the
Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked
St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo town in Ondo State, Nigeria, (located 345 kilometres (215 miles) east of
Lagos) killing at least 50 parishioners and injuring a further 87 congregants. On 7 June it was reported that the MNJTF said it killed 805 jihadis on Lake Chad's islands and neighboring areas between March 28 and June 4. August saw further successes against insurgents. On 3 August it was reported that military airstrikes killed Boko Haram commander Alhaji Modu and 27 other terrorists on Mandara Mountain in Gwoza local government area of Borno State. On 6 August Abdulkarim Faca-Faca, who was among the masterminds of the attack on President Muhammadu Buhari's advance convoy to Katsina, was killed along with eight of his gang members by air strikes. On 10 August it was reported that bombardments by two Nigerian Air Force fighter jets had killed many terrorists, among them a terrorist leader, operating in Kaduna State, Alhaji Shanono. According to a military source, the terrorists were caught off guard during a battle between ISWAP and Boko Haram. On 16 August the Chadian army said it killed ten Boko Haram terrorists during clashes around Bol in the Lake Chad area. On 23 August troops of the Nigerian Air Force bombarded the enclave of an ISWAP leader, Fiya Ba Yuram, in the Sambisa forest. The airstrikes hit some specific targets in the Tunbuns and Sambisa, reportedly killing scores of terrorists hiding in the enclaves. On 26 August it was reported that terrorist commander Uzaifa was killed in an air raid on criminal enclaves in Sambisa Forest and the Tumbuns in Borno State. Between 30 and 31 August Nigerian fighter jets reportedly killed 49 Boko Haram fighters in separate camps. On 1 September 70 suspected Boko Haram members drowned in a river while trying to escape air bombardment in Sheruri village, Borno state. On 5 September it was reported that Nigerian troops and aircraft killed 200 Boko Haram terrorists including five commanders by the names of Abou Hauwa, Amir Shettima, Akura Buri, Abou Zainab and Abou Idris. On September 12 top Boko Haram commander and chief executioner, Bashir Bulabuduwaye, surrendered to the Nigerian army. On November 23,
dozens of soldiers were reportedly killed near Lake Chad.
2023 2023 was relatively quiet, seeing limited insurgent activity. On 28 March it was reported that Boko Haram's chief bomb maker, Awana Gaidam, was killed by his own IED. On 18 September it was reported that a group of terrorists held peace talks with people from the Fankama village in Katsina state.
Two attacks on 30 and 31 October in the
Geidam district of the
Yobe State killed at least 37 people. The first attack was a shooting that killed 17. The second attack was executed with a land mine, which killed at least 20 people attending the burials of the victims of the shooting. On 1 November and 3 November, in
Operation Hadarin Daji, the Nigerian air force carried out numerous airstrikes against Boko Haram hideouts, destroying two bases and killing several terrorists.
2024 In the beginning of 2024, the
Islamic State announced the beginning of a campaign called "
kill them wherever you find them". This campaign lasted from January 1 until January 10 and saw a rise of attacks claimed by
ISWAP on Nigerian territory. On February 3,
Islamic State – West Africa Province killed 4 policemen at Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State. A security spokesperson who witnessed the massacre commented on the event saying "Some of the police officers were also lucky to have survived the onslaught of the terror attack, but the unfortunate four officers paid the supreme price while on active duty". The terrorists left the area before the Nigerian military could arrive. On June 29, at least 32 people were killed in attacks thought to have been carried out by female suicide bombers in the northeast Nigerian town of Gwoza. On July 31, at least 19 people were killed in a suicide attack by Boko Haram at a market in Konduga, Borno State. On August 22, suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed 13 farmers in Shirore.
Open Doors estimates that 4,118 Christians were killed for their faith in Nigeria in 2024, the highest number globally.
2025 On June 21, 2025, a suspected female suicide bomber killed at least 12 people and injured 30 others at a Friday night fish market in
Borno state. On September 5, 2025, 63 people are killed, including seven
soldiers, and others were reported missing in attacks by
Boko Haram jihadists in Darul Jamal,
Borno State, Nigeria. In October 2025, Boko Haram seized the Nigerian border town of Kirawa in Borno State, burning the district head's palace, a military barracks and dozens of homes and forcing more than 5,000 people to flee into
neighbouring Cameroon. Residents described Kirawa as deserted and under insurgent control, an attack that followed recent overruns of army positions in the region and prompted calls for urgent military reinforcements. Between November 5 and 8, 2025, Boko Haram fighters
launched a naval invasion against
ISWAP bases across the various islands in Lake Chad. The attacks were led by Hassan Buduma and Mohd Hassan. Clashes have left at least 4 Boko Haram attackers dead and 200 ISWAP members killed. On 25 December 2025, the United States
carried out a strike against the
Islamic State in
northwest Nigeria. U.S. President
Donald Trump, claimed the U.S. struck in order to protect Christians from perceived
religious violence in northern Nigeria, the U.S. strike is the first direct foreign military intervention in the insurgency.
2026 On 3 February 2026, gunmen of the
Islamic State-affiliated militant group
Lakurawa attacked the villages of Nuku and Woro in
Kwara State, Nigeria, after residents rejected their demands to embrace
Sharia law, killing at least 162 residents and burning several buildings. ==Other issues==