Northeastern Nigeria face fresh wave of Boko Haram terrorist strikes

In the early dawn of May 27, coordinated attacks by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction of Boko Haram were successfully foiled by the Nigerian military’s counterinsurgency task force Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK).

Boko Haram insurgents attempted to infiltrate headquarters of the Marte Local Government Area in New Marte, as reported by Premium Times Nigeria. New Marte is located at the fringes of Borno state, which has functioned as the established stronghold of Boko Haram militant activities.

A deadly confrontation ensued between military soldiers and Boko Haram terrorists at approximately 1:35 a.m. on Tuesday.

Repelled by a ruthless joint effort of infantry ground troops and the Air Force, the Nigerian military utilised offensive gunfire, precision air strikes, and Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

The violent clash eventually led to the elimination of fleeing terrorists, reportedly killing scores of Boko Haram attackers.

Reuben Kovangiya, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Headquarters Theatre command of OPHK praised the operational success, stating, “The collaborative effort demonstrates the renewed jointness and team spirit in the fight against terrorism, geared towards bringing lasting peace to enable socio-economic activities to thrive in the North East region.”

While cautiously optimistic about OPHK’s favourable track record against Boko Haram, Kovangiya soberly emphasises the fatal human toll of a recent wave of Boko Haram violence of intensified frequency and lethality.

Boko Haram began its repressive jihad campaign in 2009, rooted in its violent opposition to Western influence and secular Nigerian governance. Since then, estimates from the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect state that over tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, further displacing an upward of two million Nigerians.

With its primary objective of establishing a strict Islamic state entirely governed by Sharia law, the name “Boko Haram” translates loosely to “Western education is a sin”, whereby Western institutions and values are viewed as ideologically incompatible with their radical interpretation of Islamist ideals. Gaining international notice at the peak of its power in 2013 and 2014, Boko Haram infamously abducted 276 Chibok schoolgirls and controlled a geographical chunk of land rivaling that of Belgium. The group continues sustained attacks on churches, practicing Christians, and anyone viewed to be involved in “unIslamic” activity.

Since the beginning of 2025, Boko Haram Islamic extremists have ramped up assaults on army outposts, vital infrastructural links and civilian villages alike across northeastern Nigeria. Compounding reports of violence fly in the face of official narratives of the success of the Nigerian military against the well-organised paramilitary organisation.

With its strategic emphasis on swift mobile strikes and nighttime raids, ISWAP militants have proven their ability to easily overpower Nigerian military positions. In this year alone, the ISWAP group has claimed credit for at least 15 successful infiltrations on key military locations in Marte, Izge and Monguno, among others.

With Nigerian military bases in secluded regions suffering from chronic manpower shortages, Boko Haram’s use of tactical surprise and overwhelming weaponry far exceed the Nigerian army’s ability to respond meaningfully.

In a public statement, Borno State Governor Babagana Zuma warned of a gradual loss of government-controlled territories. He expressed concern that strategic military bases were being toppled at a dizzying pace “almost on a daily basis without confrontation.” Ali Abani, a humanitarian worker located in Dikwa, similarly encapsulates worrying grassroots sentiments, adding that “when these gunmen come, they just overpower the soldiers.”

Malik Samuel, Security Analyst from Good Governance Africa attributes the unpredictability and brutality of ISWAP’s attacks on its decentralised structure that allows for “coordinated, near simultaneous attacks” spanning wider swathes of area.

More distressingly, Malik points to the rallying support of ISIS affiliates in Iraq and Syria as a key enabler for the group’s increasingly sophisticated arsenal and operational expertise. Supplementing reports depict an unsettling network of so-called “repentant militants” of Boko Haram informants acting as logistical support for terrorist cells within de-radicalisation and rehabilitative government programmes.

Boko Haram’s renewed momentum in the fragile Nigerian north has resulted in a flurry of speculation on whether prevailing efforts are sufficient to reverse a concerning doomsday situation of Boko Haram’s return to power.

Premium Times Nigeria/ Maghrebi