Report says the Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) terrorist group successfully carried out its first attack on Nigerian soil after it unleashed mayhem on the Nuku community in Kaiama LGA of Kwara State.
African conflict researcher James Barnett confirmed that the attack occurred on the New Bussa-Kaiama road, not as far south as Parakou, but at the level of Parakou on the Beninese side of the border.
Parakou has become a refuge for JNIM and marauding bandits who use the area as a logistics hub.
”JNIM has been hinting at such a presence. @VincentFoucher and I recently assessed that some of the ‘Lakurawa’ activity along the Benin border was JNIM. The arrest of Mahmuda was significant, but the Benin Republic border region remains vulnerable,” Barnet wrote on X.
Mainstream, another conflict researcher in the Sahel region, confirmed on X that one soldier was killed while an AK rifle, six cell phones, ammo, a motorcycle, assorted military gear, and a sum of cash in naira were seized by the terror group
”JNIM just claimed its first attack in Nigeria (on 28 October), #Kwara state, one soldier killed, and an AK rifle, six cell phones, ammo, a motorcycle, assorted military gear, and a sum of cash in Naira seized,” he wrote
Recall that the Al-Qaeda terror group is primarily responsible for a recent surge in militant jihadist attacks across several West African nations, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. On July 1, the group claimed to have executed a major coordinated attack on seven military locations in western Mali, including areas near the borders with Senegal and Mauritania. There is growing concern about the potential impact that JNIM could have on the region’s stability. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have struggled to contain the violence, which has contributed to a series of military coups in the Sahel region over the last five years.
However, like the civilian governments they replaced, the military juntas seem unable to address the growing jihadist threat, especially from JNIM.
What is JNIM?
JNIM, formed in Mali in 2017, has quickly become one of Africa’s deadliest jihadist groups. It is a coalition of five jihadist militant organisations: – Ansar Dine – Katibat Macina – Al-Mourabitoun – Ansar al-Islam – The Sahara branch of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The collaboration began after the French military pushed back various jihadist and separatist groups in northern Mali in 2012.
JNIM is led by Iyad Ag Ghali, a former Malian diplomat from the Tuareg ethnic group, with Amadou Koufa from the Fulani community as the deputy leader. The group has expanded its operations across the Sahel region of West Africa.
While it’s difficult to ascertain the exact number of fighters, experts estimate there could be several thousand, predominantly young men and boys seeking economic opportunities in this impoverished region.
Where does JNIM operate?
JNIM operates primarily in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, having expanded its activities from its origins in central and northern Mali. The group has also attacked targets in Benin, Nigeria, Togo, and Ivory Coast. Currently, JNIM is active throughout Mali and in 11 of Burkina Faso’s 13 regions. In the past year, Burkina Faso has become the group’s focal point, especially in the northern and eastern border areas, according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime.
