Maiduguri — a city that has been relentlessly besieged from Boko Haram’s suicide attacks — was once more threatened on 7 June, during an exchange of gunfire between the army and the militants. After several hours, 17 people were dead and many more injured.

Boko Haram’s Abubakar Shekau faction released a video on 9 June claiming responsibility for the attack. It shows several of the sect’s members driving camouflaged technicals into Maiduguri unchallenged. It also displays munitions which they claim to have captured from the army and promise to use against army positions in future attacks.

This is the first large-scale attack on Maiduguri in more than 18 months, and the first time in more than a year that Boko Haram has displayed such sophisticated weaponry.

The timing is important. It has been just over one month since the Federal Government (FG) made the exchange with Boko Haram of cash and prisoners for 82 Chibok schoolgirls. It is now suspected that the Abubakar faction has once again been strengthened by the cash and men — some of whom were experienced leaders — received during the exchange. From Boko Haram’s perspective, it was crucial to appear strong after the negotiation to militate against the FG’s internationally publicised moral victory.

Amnesty International Nigeria issued a statement on 9 June saying that the 7 June attack was the deadliest this year. The organisation reported that Boko Haram has staged 10 different attacks killing 57 people in the last three months alone.

The attack also coincided with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s scheduled visit to Maiduguri city. He made the trip despite the attack, which was a positive public relations move for the Presidency. Nonetheless, the attack — which took place simultaneously with four suicide bombs in different parts of the city — is an indication that the crisis in the North East geopolitical zone is far from over. The two different factions of Boko Haram — the Abubakar faction and the Abu Musab al-Barnawi faction — look well positioned and entrenched to continue their operations in the North East zone and the greater Lake Chad Region.   … [article continues] …

This is an excerpt from an article in our weekly Nigeria Politics & Security publication.