The Nigerian border town of Gwoza was hit by three female suicide bombers for the first time since 2020.
This area is significant as it was where Boko Haram extremists declared a short-lived caliphate a decade ago, highlighting the ongoing nature of one of the world’s longest militancy conflict.
The incident occurred just two days after officials proclaimed progress in their fight against extremists, with Nigeria’s military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Edward Buba stating, “We have greatly degraded the terrorists.”
In the series of collective suicide bombings on June 30, the first attack struck a crowded wedding, the second happened during the victims’ funeral, and the third targeted a hospital treating the injured.
The bombings resulted in the deaths of at least 32 people, including nine close associates of Mohammed Kehaya, a resident now concerned about his safety in Borno state.
This region has been a focal point of Islamic militancy, famously marked by the kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls in 2014 by extremists.
Despite no group claiming responsibility for the bombings, suspicions quickly pointed to Boko Haram. Since 2009, the group has waged an insurgency to impose its radical interpretation of Islamic law, Sharia, in northeastern Nigeria.
Fragmented into multiple factions over time, Boko Haram’s actions have resulted in the deaths of over 35,000 people and the displacement of more than 2 million individuals.
This has created a severe humanitarian crisis, with many in urgent need of international aid.
Nevertheless, Nigerian authorities insisted that the attacks did not represent a “setback.”
Nigeria’s Defense Chief, Gen. Chris Musa, characterized the bombings as “a sign of desperation” and portrayed them as an isolated incident carried out by militants.
Musa commented, “Certain individuals will go to great lengths to obstruct our success.”
Yet, several security analysts and local residents interviewed regarding the bombings voiced apprehensions.
They noted that the attacks likely involved extensive planning and coordination, underscoring potential risks in Borno, especially in villages with insufficient security presence.
Vincent Foucher, consulting senior analyst for West Africa at the International Crisis Group, proposed that one of the extremists’ objectives could be to undermine the narrative of normalized security in the region.
“It’s a tactic to demonstrate that the conflict prevails,” Foucher remarked.
In Borno, the three bombings sent shockwaves through families, leaving many pondering whether they should gather whatever belongings remained and run once more.
“Parents have been calling to inquire whether it’s safe for their children to return to school,” said Yusuf Ibn Tom, a public school teacher in Maiduguri. “Everyone here is filled with fear.”
During the peak of the insurgency in 2014, Boko Haram was recognized as the world’s deadliest terrorist group, responsible for killing at least 6,000 people that year alone, as reported by the Institute for Economics and Peace’s Global Terrorism Index.
Since then, significant changes have occurred, resulting in the extremists posing a reduced threat.
From the outset of military actions, Boko Haram has been pushed further into the fringes of the Lake Chad region.
Following the death of the group’s founder, Abubakar Shekau, in 2021, there has been a decline in the frequency of suicide bombings as some members were demoralized.
Internal clashes between Shekau’s faction and another affiliated with the Islamic State group have led the extremists to engage in infighting, occasionally diverting their attacks from military and civilian targets.
This internal discord has also resulted in the defection of thousands, who are now undergoing reintegration programs.
Cameron Hudson, an Africa expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, emphasized that what has remained intact over the years is the “operational prowess” of the extremists.
He noted that attacks such as the recent one “are rarely isolated incidents and often part of a broader series,” implying the possibility of more attacks in the future.
“This will provide a clearer picture of the current strength of the insurgency and the Nigerian military’s response capabilities,” Hudson concluded.