As much of the world remains focused on Islamic State and its horrific attacks in Paris, another radical band of extremists has, by one account, captured the infamous title of the world’s deadliest terrorist group: Boko Haram. Boko Haram, the militant group that has tortured Nigeria and its neighbours for years, was responsible for 6,664 deaths last year, more than any other terrorist group in the world, including Islamic State itself, which killed 6,073 people in 2014, according to a report released on Wednesday tracking terrorist attacks globally.
Locals view photographs of wanted Boko Haram suspects on a notice posted by the Nigerian military in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
The death toll in Nigeria mounted on Wednesday, with a bombing in Kano state in northern Nigeria, not even a full day after Boko Haram was suspected in an explosion that killed and injured dozens in another nearby region. In Kano, authorities said two female suicide bombers detonated vests at a cellphone market at about 4pm local time, killing at least 12 people and wounding dozens. Witnesses and Red Cross officials said as many as 50 or 60 people died, though the number could not be independently confirmed. Officials accused Boko Haram in the attacks.
Stay vigilant
In a statement on Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari called for Nigerians to stay vigilant, saying that even his recently intensified military operation against Boko Haram could not prevent every attack. “President Buhari reassures Nigerians that his administration is very much determined to wipe out Boko Haram in Nigeria and bring all perpetrators of these heinous crimes against humanity to justice,” the release said.
Mr Buhari, who took office in May, ran on a platform of eliminating Boko Haram, which he has pledged to do by the end of December, as well as cutting back on corruption that has dogged the nation. This week, Mr Buhari accused the previous administration’s national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, of pocketing more than $2 billion (€1.87 billion) that had been allocated for warplanes, helicopters and other military hardware to fight Boko Haram. Mr Dasuki has denied the allegations.
Bomb-making materials