ABUJA: A new report has revealed that over 300 people, including more than 100 military personnel and 200 civilians, were killed in north eastern Nigeria over five weeks amid a resurgence of Boko Haram attacks.
The findings, published by policy research firm Nextier SPD in its latest Policy Weekly edition, are detailed in a report titled Re-thinking Nigeria’s Counter insurgency Strategy: The Aftermath of the Boko Haram Resurgence. The study highlights growing concerns about the limitations of Nigeria’s current military-centric approach to counterterrorism.
Authored by Dr. Ndu Nwokolo, Managing Partner at Nextier, and Dr. Chibuike Njoku, Associate Consultant, the report documents a spike in insurgent activity between November 2024 and April 2025. Notably, 92 fatalities were recorded in January alone, despite a relatively average number of incidents that month.
In total, 252 terrorist attacks were recorded during the six months. Armed factions from both Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were responsible for the violence, employing increasingly sophisticated tactics such as ambushes on military convoys, the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and targeted raids on camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Significantly, the report revealed that three local government areas in Borno State were effectively taken over by insurgents, further eroding government authority and disrupting the delivery of critical humanitarian aid.
Nextier’s analysis warns of an escalating lethality in attacks, increasing incidents of kidnappings, and signs of military fatigue. The deterioration of civil-military relations was also highlighted as a troubling trend, particularly in April 2025.
Read also:
- ISWAP and Boko Haram Militants Raid Military Base and Outpost in Borno, Leaving Dozens Dead
- Senate Investigates USAID’s Alleged Boko Haram Funding Amid Funding Freeze
- US Lawmaker Accuses USAID of Misappropriating Taxpayer Money for Terrorist and Boko haram
- Jailbreak: Number Of Escaped B’Haram Commanders, Killers Hit 4,643
Despite ongoing military operations, the report argues that kinetic strategies alone are insufficient to defeat the insurgency. It emphasized that military successes have not translated into sustainable community security or long-term stability.
Military victories do not necessarily translate to improved community security and stabilisation,” the authors noted, pointing to entrenched issues like poverty, youth unemployment, and limited access to education as underlying drivers of radicalisation.
The report calls for a holistic, people-focused counterinsurgency strategy, combining military action with socioeconomic development, inclusive dialogue, and community-based peacebuilding efforts.
It concludes with a stark warning: The current strategy is reactive rather than preventative. Without urgent reform, Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts may continue to fall short, leaving millions at risk.
