Conflict Alerts # 650, 12 July 2024
Ayan Datta In the news
On 29 June, three female suicide bombers targeted a wedding, a funeral and a market in northwestern Nigeria’s Borno State. The attacks killed around 32 civilians and injured around 48. Although no group claimed the attack, the armed groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were suspected because they used female suicide bombers in past attacks. Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, stated that the acts were “desperate acts of terror” and that the government would “not allow the nation to slither into an era of fear, tears, sorrow, and blood.”
On 28 June, armed groups killed 17 people in Borno State.
Issues at large
First, an overview of insurgent groups operating in Nigeria’s Borno state: Since the early 2000s, the Borno state became the operating base of three armed groups: Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Ansaru. In 2002, a Salafist preacher, Mohammad Yusuf, established Boko Haram in Borno’s capital, Maiduguri. Its objective was to establish a Sunni Islamic State and oppose Western culture and education. In 2012, Ansaru emerged as a faction of Boko Haram and aligned with Al-Qaeda. Ansaru focused on targeting foreigners and Nigerian government officials. In 2015, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekaku formed an ISIS-aligned splinter group called Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) to establish a caliphate in West Africa.
Second, the continuing suicide attacks in Nigeria. In 2011, Boko Haram began using suicide attacks in Nigeria. Since then, Boko Haram and ISWAP regularly used this tactic. During 2011-2018, armed groups carried out around 245 suicide bombings. From 2018-2024, the number of attacks was around 35.
Third, using women and girls for suicide attacks. In 2014, Boko Haram began the practice of using female suicide bombers. The attacks often involved multiple women who detonated in coordination. According to survivors' accounts, the group abducted women and girls, brainwashed them, and forced them to carry out suicide attacks. The women are threatened with violence if they refuse. However, ISWAP reduced the use of female suicide bombers to gain local support and avoid civilian casualties.
Fourth, a profile of the victims and locations of the armed groups. Boko Haram targeted civilians of all religions in 85 per cent of its suicide bombings and attacked public spaces like markets, weddings and hospitals. However, ISWAP and Ansaru targeted non-Muslim civilians like Christians and the visible sites of government presence, including government officials, police stations, and military camps.
In perspective
First, armed groups use female suicide bombers because of tactical reasons. Armed groups like Boko Haram use women to carry out suicide attacks because they are assumed to be beyond suspicion, cannot be body-searched by male soldiers, and can be trained cheaply. For little cost, these bombings create public insecurity, cripple local economies and boost morale and cohesion among members of the armed group.
Second, the government’s ineffectiveness in suppressing armed groups in the Borno region. Nigeria’s military is severely underfunded, with significant funds lost yearly because of corruption in the Ministry of Defence. Since the military is underfunded, the armed groups often have more advanced equipment than the army overwhelms them in battles.
Third, reasons for the prevalence of armed groups in the Borno region. All three of Nigeria’s armed groups are based in the Borno State, located on the country’s geographic and political periphery. Owing to low state capacity, government institutions aside from military camps are almost absent in the Borno. The region is prone to raids by bandits and armed groups. Under such conditions, local youths often join one of the groups for economic benefits and protection against other groups.