Terrorism In The Sahara-Sahel Region

 Terrorism in the Sahara-Sahel Region has been growing exponentially over the years, with various groups operating across the area. The region, which spans across some countries in West Africa, has been besieged by Islamic extremist activities like kidnappings and attacks on civilians. The major terrorist groups in the Sahara-Sahel Region include:

• Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM): 

The JNIM is a Salafi-jihadist organization in West Africa, specifically in the Sahara-Sahel region. Formed on March 2, 2017, JNIM is an umbrella group comprised of Ansar Dine, al-Mourabitoun, and the Saharan branch of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). JNIM is led by Iyad ag Ghagi, a Tuareg militant and former Malian diplomat, with Ahmadou Koufa as his second-in-command. The group's leadership structure is hierarchical, with regional commanders and local area commanders overseeing operations. It operates in several countries, including Mali, Algeria, Niger, Libya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Chad, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Ghana. The group has expanded its influence, with activities in 11 of Burkina Faso's 13 regions and parts of Niger, Mali, and other West African countries. JNIM seeks to replace established State authority with a conservative interpretation of Islamic law and doctrine, driven by Salafi-jihadist ideology. The group has pledged unflinching allegiance to the Al-Qaeda and is considered as one of the most powerful militant groups in the Sahara-Sahel Region. It has been responsible for numerous attacks, including roadside bombs, mortars, landmines, and rockets, targeting government forces, volunteer fighting groups, and communities perceived as sympathetic to the State. Recent attacks include the killing of at least 10 soldiers in Niger and multiple attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso. Its affiliates include Ansurul Islam and Katiba Hanifa. Its goal is to establish Salafi-Islamic State of West Africa.  

Terrorist groups often operate in the remote areas, using tactics such as kidnappings, bombings, and attacks on security forces. They traditionally exploit local grievances and divisions to recruit members and gain support. JNIM, for example, has established a formidable presence in Northern Mali, where it has imposed its own governance system and taxation. The impact of terrorism in the Sahara-Sahel Region cannot be over-emphasized. The Sahara-Sahel Region accounts for 19% of global terrorist attacks and over 50% of terrorism-related casualties. The region has seen significant displacements, with a teeming population of over 4 million people displaced across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and adjoining countries. The JNIM has been responsible for several terrorist activities in the Sahara-Sahel Region. Here are some examples:

1. JNIM attacks in Mali:

• On August 19, 2025, JNIM launched a coordinated attacks in Farabougou and Biriki-Were, killing 21 soldiers and seizing 15 vehicles. 

• On May 23, 2025, JNIM militants attacked Dioura, killing 41 soldiers.

• On June 1, 2025, JNIM took control of a Malian Army base in Boulkessi, killing 30 soldiers 

2. JNIM attacks in Burkina Faso:

• In May, 2025, JNIM launched a major attack in Djibo, killing about 200 soldiers. 

• In 2018, JNIM attacked the French Embassy and Burkinabe Army Headquarters in Quagadougou.

3. JNIM attacks in Nigeria:

• In October 31, 2025, JNIM first attacked Nigeria and killed one soldier in Kwara State of Nigeria.

4. JNIM's other terrorist attacks:

• JNIM has been involved in kidnappings, smugglings, and cattle theft (rustling) to fund its operations.

• The group has blocked highways around Bamako, the capital of Mali, causing crippling fuel shortages and disrupting daily vehicular movements in the process. 

• Boko Haram Insurgency: 

Founded in 2002, Boko Haram is a Sunni Muslim fundamentalists or extremist group operating primarily in the North-East of Nigeria, with attacks in Nigeria, Cameroun, Niger, and Chad. The group's leader, Bakura Doro, seeks to establish a Salafi-Islamic State free from Western influence and culture. Boko Haram has been responsible for numerous attacks, including kidnappings, bombings, rape, killings of Christians, and burning of Churches. Nigeria has borne the brunt of Boko Haram's attacks, with the group targeting civilians, Churches, mosques, markets, airports, schools, and others. Terrorist activities have had a profound impact on Nigeria, West Africa, and the broader Sahara-Sahel Region. The Boko Haram insurgency, which began in 2009, has led to the deaths of over 500, 000 people and displaced over 5 million rural dwellers within the same period, with the group seeking to establish an Islamic caliphate in the region. 

The Boko Haram has committed crimes against Nigeria in the following ways:

1. Mass killings and bombings:

Boko Haram has carried out calculated massacres, such as the Bornu State 2015 Baga Massacre, where not less than 5,000 people were killed. The Konduga Mosque shooting in Bornu State on August 11, 2013, where 44 people were killed.

2. Kidnappings and abductions:

It is unarguably on record that Boko Haram group has kidnapped thousands of victims, including the infamous Chibok Girls kidnapping in 2014, where 276 girls were kidnapped in Kankara, Katsina State. There are other hundreds of victims kidnapped by Boko Haram and other bandit groups across Nigeria. Truly, no man can number them because victims kidnapped and killed in the hinterlands of Northern Nigeria by radicalized and extreme jihadists are not documented for the public to know. The practice of killing Christians in Nigeria is an ugly trend that has come to stay. The attack on Churches escalated to the point that some Catholic priests armed themselves with latest AK-47 rifles while performing Masses in Benue State, for self-defence. The Christians are killed in the Churches while the sermon is going on. For some years, many people do not go to Church again because they do not want to die. In the past 20 years, over 800, 000 Christians: men, women, and children were killed by Boko Haram and other terrorist and bandit groups. According to the report given by the Riley Moore-led US Congressmen fact-finding team that visited Nigeria on Christian genocide crimes, not less than 650, 000 Christians were displaced from their ancestral homesteads, and abandoned at the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps, while another 2.7 million Christians were also displaced from their villages and fled to other localities for safety in Plateau State. In fact, in some cases, after fleeing from village A to village B, the assailants can still pursue them to location B, and kill them there. Therefore, the enormity of terrorist and bandit activities against Nigeria and Africans by radicalized jihadist groups cannot be gainsaid either on the score of moral or design. 

3. Terrorism and bombings:

Boko Haram has engaged in numerous bombings, including suicide bombings, targeting mostly Christians, Churches, civilians, markets, hospitals, supermarkets, mosques, and airports, for attacks.

4. Forced religious conversions and marriages:

Boko Haram has forced many victims to become Muslims, little-knowing that God hates the use of baculum, force, or third degree to win converts. Boko Haram also married off girls to their fighteters compulsorily. An eye witness, a medical doctor, who was kidnapped and held up in the forest, told me how the terrorists deal with the girls with them in the forests. I can't narrate that here. 

5. Human rights abuses:

Boko Haram has committed widespread human rights abuses, including rape, torture, forced marriage, and enslavement. All these atrocious activities have been widely condemned in strong terms and have provoked outrage across Nigeria and African countries, who are seeking for peace, stability, and security in their communities.

 The Sahara-Sahel Region, which includes countries such as Chad, Niger, and Cameroun, has been affected by Boko Haram's activities. The group has exploited porous borders and malfeasant governance to launch attacks and recruit brainwashed members. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has recognized the regional threat and instability and is working assiduously to strengthen security cooperation. The conflict has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with millions displaced and in need of aids. The United Nations has estimated that over 15 million people have been affected by the insurgency and counter-insurgency efforts. The crisis has led to food insecurity, with many communities struggling to access basic necessities. The international community has responded to the crisis, with countries such as United States and the United Kingdom providing military support and aids. The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), comprising of Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroun, has been established to coordinate regional efforts against Boko Haram. Besides, the emergence of new threats such as JNIM, an Al-Qaeda-linked group, poses a new threat to the region. The JNIM's presence in Nigeria and the Sahara-Sahel Region could further destabilize the area and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.

•  Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP):

ISWAP is a splinter group of Boko Haram, operating in the Lake Chad region. The group has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and has been involved in attacks on civilians and security forces.

• Ansar Dine: 

Founded by Iyad ag Ghagi in 2011, Ansar Dine is a Tuareg-led group operating in Mali. The group has been involved in attacks on civilians and security operatives, and has pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda. 

• Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS):

Led by Adnan Abu Walid al- Sahrawi (decreased), the ISGS operates in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, targeting civilians and security forces.

• Macina Liberation Front (MLF):

The Macina Liberation Front (MLF) is led by Ahmadou Koufa, and operates in Central Mali and Burkina Faso.

• Lakurawa Jihadists: 

The Lakurawa Jihadist group was founded between 2002 and 2017 by Fulani pastoralits and nomads along Nigeria-Niger frontiers. It originated in Mali but were invited by Sokoto community leaders to help combat banditry. A little above 200 young boys of 18-35 years old, Lakurawa operates in Sokoto and Kebbi States, and ther surroundings. They are linked to attacks on villages, killings, armed robbery, rape, and kidnappings. They have imposed harsh restrictions on communities, including banning of some musics and hairstyles. Their presence is strongly felt in areas like Tangaza, Gudu, Illela, Binji, and Silame, with reports of them recruiting youths and radical teachings. It aims to establish a localized caliphate, imposing strict Islamic laws and taxes, and rejecting State authority.

All these terrorist and bandit groups have committed so much atrocities that have provoked widespread outrages and condemnation, both in Nigeria and West African out-region countries. Find below statistics on the impact of terrorism and banditry in some countries:

1. Nigeria:

• Over 800, 000 people killed in the past 20 years due to Boko Haram insurgency and Fulani extremist jihadism. 

• Over 67, 000 people killed in 2025 alone, and over 85% of them are Christians. 

• Over 11, 000 kidnapped in the first 7 months of 2025, where over 90% of them were Christians. 

2. Burkina Faso:

• Accounts for 1, 532 fatalities from terrorist attacks in 2024

• 68% increase in terrorism deaths.

• 4 million people displaced across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and neighbouring countries 

3. Mali:

604 deaths from 201 attacks in 2024

• JNIM responsibe for most of the attacks 

4. Niger:

• 930 fatalities in 2024, a 94% increase 

• JNIM and Islamic State affiliates driving violence 

5. Somalia: 

• 359 terrorism-related deaths in 2024

• Al-Shabaab responsible for nearly all attacks 

6. Cameroun:

• 205 deaths from 153 terrorist attacks in 2024

• Boko Haram responsible for most of the attacks  

7. Sahel Region:

 •  Accounts for over 50% of global terrorism-related casualties 

• 3, 885 lives were lost in 2024, nearly ten fold increase since 2019 

In conclusion, the Sahara-Sahel Region is grappling with a severe terrorism crisis, with extremist groups like JNIM, Boko Haram, ISGS, ISWAP, and Lakurawa Jihadists etc, exploiting local grievances and vulnerabilities to spread violence and instability. The region accounts for over half of global terrorism-related casualties, with millions displaced and humanitarian needs soaring. To combat this threat, coordinated efforts are crucial. The African Union, ECOWAS, and the international community should work in cohesion to address the root causes of terrorism. Strengthening regional security cooperation, intelligence sharing, and disrupting terrorists financing networks are key steps. Joint regional and international security measures can help as well to stabilize the region and protect vulnerable communities.

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