IED event in Nigeria on Wed 21st January 2026

In Zamfara State, an army operation resulted in the storming of a bandit hideout and the liberation of 62 hostages, all placed in safety and awaiting reunion with their families.

In the district of Augie, on the border between Kebbi and Sokoto, an ambush was set for Lakurawa fighters, two militants were killed.

Northwest Nigeria is experiencing a surge in kidnappings and attacks on villages, schools, and places of worship. On January 18, more than 160 worshippers were abducted from two churches in Kaduna.

Joseph John Hayab, president of the Christian Association of Nigeria for the Northern States, denounced the slow response: “By simply denying the situation, we allowed the bandits to escape and operate further. That's when we should have pursued them, even if the alert turned out to be false, to get to the bottom of things. We didn't; we wasted time and gave the criminals the opportunity to continue their activities. This is a mistake that must never be repeated in our country.”

The Nigerian government reiterated that these operations were part of an offensive to dismantle armed networks responsible for insecurity and that they targeted all groups threatening civilians, both Christian and Muslim, refuting any allegation of targeted persecution.

In the northeast, violence continues. At least eight Nigerian soldiers were killed and 50 others wounded when a Boko Haram group attacked a military formation in Borno State. The insurgents, arriving on motorcycles and armored vehicles, engaged the troops in a fierce battle and used car bombs. One vehicle was neutralized, but a second breached the defensive positions, causing casualties among the soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, a local militia supporting the army.

According to the army, several Islamist strongholds in the “Timbuktu Triangle,” a vast and difficult-to-access area in the northeast, have been cleared and some planned attacks thwarted. Forces have since been redeployed to Damboa, while the bodies and wounded have been transported to the Maimalari military hospital in Maiduguri. This territory remains a historical stronghold of Boko Haram and its Islamic State affiliate (ISWAP), which continues to launch attacks against military bases despite repeated offensives by the army.