Nigeria

Background reviewed 2026-10-23 · Background as of 2026-10

Background

Nigeria faces several overlapping conflicts. In the north-east, Boko Haram has waged an insurgency since 2009, and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has been active since 2016. In the north-west, armed gangs often called “bandits” carry out raids and mass kidnappings, and violence between farming and herding communities affects the central states.

Mass school kidnappings in November 2025 renewed international attention. On 25 December 2025 the United States carried out strikes, in coordination with the Nigerian government, on Islamic State targets in Sokoto State.

History

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, became independent from Britain in 1960. The Biafran war of 1967–1970, after the south-east tried to secede, remains one of the defining events of its history. The country returned to civilian rule in 1999 after long periods of military government.

In the oil-producing Niger Delta, armed groups attacked oil infrastructure in the 2000s until a 2009 amnesty programme. Boko Haram, founded in the early 2000s in Maiduguri, launched an armed insurgency in 2009 and became internationally known after the abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014. In the north-west, heavily armed criminal gangs often described as “bandits” carry out raids and kidnappings for ransom, while disputes between farmers and herders over land and water affect the central states.

Main parties

Nigerian Armed Forces and police — Supported by local vigilante and civilian joint task forces.
Boko Haram (JAS) — Jihadist group active in the north-east since 2009.
ISWAP — Islamic State West Africa Province, active around Lake Chad.
Armed gangs in the north-west — Criminal groups involved in kidnapping and raids.

Key dates

2009-07 — Boko Haram begins an armed uprising in Maiduguri.
2014-04-14 — Boko Haram abducts hundreds of schoolgirls from Chibok.
2015 — A regional Multinational Joint Task Force begins operations around Lake Chad.
2016-08 — ISWAP splits from Boko Haram.
2025-11 — Mass school kidnappings take place in Kebbi and Niger states.
2025-12-25 — US forces strike Islamic State targets in Sokoto State in coordination with Nigeria.

Humanitarian situation

Millions of people in the north-east depend on humanitarian assistance, and many remain displaced in camps. Kidnapping for ransom and attacks on farmers have reduced food production in the north-west and north-central regions.

How to read reports about Nigeria

Kidnapping figures often change as victims escape or are released; follow the linked reports for the latest numbers.

Recent events

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