14/5/2025
In five weeks, 300 people including 100 military officers and 200 civilians have been killed by Boko Haram says a report by Nextier SPD.
According to the research findings published by Nextier SPD Policy Weekly and titled “Re-thinking Nigeria’s Counterinsurgency Strategy: The Aftermath of the Boko Haram Resurgence,” there have been a rise in the frequency of terror attacks, which raised questions about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s current military-led strategy.
Authored by Dr. Ndu Nwokolo, Managing Partner at Nextier, and Dr. Chibuike Njoku, an Associate Consultant, the report highlights the increasing frequency and deadliness of attacks between November 2024 and April 2025, with January 2025 alone accounting for 92 deaths despite an average number of recorded incidents.
In total, 252 terrorist attacks were documented during the six-month period, with Boko Haram factions — Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) — employing more sophisticated tactics, including the use of improvised explosive devices, ambushes on military convoys, and raids on internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
The report also revealed that the insurgents seized three local government areas in Borno State, undermining state authority and disrupting humanitarian aid.
It warned of an “escalation in the lethality of attacks” and noted growing military fatigue, worsening civil-military relations, and an alarming increase in kidnappings, especially in April 2025.
Despite ongoing military offensives, the resurgence underscores the limitations of kinetic operations in addressing the root causes of the insurgency.
“Military victories do not necessarily translate to improved community security and stabilisation,” the report noted, pointing to poverty, youth unemployment, and poor access to education as drivers of radicalisation.
The researchers called for a comprehensive, people-centred counterinsurgency framework that combines military efforts with socioeconomic reforms, inclusive dialogue, and community-based interventions.
“The current strategy is reactive rather than preventative,” the report concluded, warning that without urgent reforms, Nigeria’s fight against terrorism may continue to flounder, leaving millions vulnerable to extremist violence.