News Digest

'Deadliest massacre': why does Nigeria struggle to stop Boko Haram?

In the latest campaign by the African Islamic militant group Boko Haram, hundreds of gunmen reportedly overtook the town of Baga, its neighboring villages, and a multinational military base. During a five-day attack in Nigeria’s northeast, the heavily armed militant group descended on joint-run African military base, one of the few remaining government-run operations in the area. Upon seeing the gunmen, the military guards abandoned their posts. In recent days, Boko Haram has attacked and destroyed 16 villages. Official death tolls have not been recorded, but reports vary widely, with anywhere from 200 to as many as 2,000 Nigerians killed, according to Amnesty International on Saturday. Baga has been largely abandoned after what is now described as what may be the “deadliest massacre” in the history of Boko Haram.

We urge Nigeria and its neighbours to take all possible steps to address the urgent threat of Boko Haram. Even in the face of these horrifying attacks, terrorist organizations like Boko Haram must not distract Nigeria from carrying out credible and peaceful elections that reflect the will of the Nigerian people.

U.S. State Department Spokesman Jen Psaki

Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, announced in August his mission to establish his Islamic caliphate, a political-religious Muslim state of which he would be the leader. Since its inception, the group has received growing attention for its brutal, violent, and often indiscriminate attacks. In April 2014, they gained international notoriety for the kidnapping of 276 girls from Chibok Secondary School, which prompted the viral hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. Since then, the militant group has continued attacks and kidnappings which the Nigerian government has struggled to effectively counter. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged to put an end to to the group’s reign of terror, but Boko Haram has refused to negotiate with the current government, which is lead by non-Muslim political party.