The northeastern region of Nigeria is once again under siege as attacks from Boko Haram and rival faction Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), pave way for increasingly deadly assaults from jihadists.
Security sources report that the militants now wield more advanced weaponry, including armed drones and roadside improvised explosive devices (IEDs), marking a dangerous shift in tactics.
Adamawa and Borno states have majorly been affected by the attacks by jihadists. Reports indicate that at least 22 people were killed in coordinated raids over the weekend, followed by another 26 casualties on Monday when an explosive tore through two vehicles in Borno.
Experts link the renewed wave of attacks to a silence in infighting between Boko Haram and ISWAP, which has allowed jihadists to refocus their operations on claiming the area.
Their objective since launching attacks earlier this year is aimed at seizing control of the region and replace secular government laws with interpretation of the Islamic law (Sharia), beginning with Nigeria’s northeast.
