Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group, has claimed its first attack in Nigeria, specifically in Kwara State’s northern region near the Niger and Kogi state borders.
This development comes four months after JNIM announced the formation of a new brigade in Nigeria, raising concerns about the spread of jihadist influence in West Africa’s southern region.
The attack is believed to be the debut operation of JNIM’s Nigerian brigade, and if verified, it would signify a concerning shift in the regional threat landscape.
Security experts are advising increased vigilance, particularly in border communities, and recommend enhanced collaboration between military and intelligence agencies to identify potential ties between JNIM operatives and local extremist networks.
JNIM, which is mainly active across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, declared in June that it had created a Nigerian brigade.
According to counter-insurgency expert Zagozola Makama, the group’s latest claim is consistent with earlier intelligence assessments warning of militant infiltration through smuggling routes from the Benin Republic and Niger.
“JNIM’s latest statement describes the attack as the debut operation of its Nigerian brigade. If verified, this would indicate a dangerous evolution of the regional threat landscape,” the source said.
He added that “security operatives in Kwara, Niger, and Kogi States should intensify patrols and surveillance in response to the development, with reinforcements deployed to border communities.
“Military and intelligence agencies should work to identify possible linkages between JNIM operatives and local extremist networks,” Zagozola said.
The incident has caused panic among residents of the affected areas, coming at a time of growing insecurity and fragmentation among terror groups operating across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.