Boko Haram

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from December 12 to December 18, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.   December 12: Nigerian troops killed three bandits in Katsina-Ala, Benue. December 12: Twenty Boko Haram militants and one soldier were killed during a clash in Askira/Uba, Borno. December 12: Kidnappers abducted one and killed one soldier and one other in Ibadan, Oyo. December 12: Boko Haram killed thirty refugees in Diffa, Niger. December 13: Three escaped prisoners were killed after a prison break in Calabar, Cross River. December 13–December 14: Kidnappers abducted twenty-two in Rafi, Niger State. December 15: Bandits killed two and kidnapped one in Oshimili South, Delta. December 15: Suspected Fulani herdsmen killed three in Makurdi, Benue. December 15: Following a police killing of a commercial motorcyclist on December 15, protestors burnt down a number of police stations in Aguata, Anambra; during the violence, one police officer and one civilian were killed. December 16: Nigerian troops killed five Boko Haram militants in Ngala, Borno. December 16: Nigerian troops killed two bandits in Katsina-Ala, Benue. December 17: Nigerian troops killed four Boko Haram militants in Kukawa, Borno. December 17: Bandits killed seven in Zangon-Kataf, Kaduna. December 17: Amotekun officers killed two civilians in Ibadan, Oyo. December 17: Kidnappers abducted five in Kaura-Namode, Zamfara. December 18: Gunmen killed eight during an attack on the Zamfara Emir's convoy in Funtua, Katsina. December 18: Boko Haram killed five and abducted thirty-five travelers during a highway attack in Konduga, Borno. December 18: A suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber killed herself and three others in Konduga, Borno.

The freeing of perhaps 344 boys kidnapped from a boarding school at Kankara in Katsina state is unalloyed good news. However, the foiled attempt to kidnap another eighty school children, at Dandume in the same state a few days later on December 19, highlights the iniquitousness of criminal gang activity. As for the now-freed Kankara victims, many questions remain. Just how many were kidnapped, how many escaped, how many were released, and how many (if any) are still in captivity is unclear. The perpetrators of the Kankara crime appear to have been three criminal, locally based gangs known to the state government of Katsina. The state government negotiated their release. The governor's denial of having paid ransom is hardly credible, given usual Nigerian practice. Media is saying credibly that the gangs and the state government have a longstanding relationship, with the latter paying the former protection money. Such "peace agreements" frequently go sour. That might be the background to this kidnapping—gang pressure on the state government.  Alternatively, the kidnapping could have been "commissioned" by Boko Haram, perhaps the reasoning behind Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau's claim of responsibility. Media reports that the three gangs have long been associated with Boko Haram, to which it sells stolen weapons and other illicit material. However, the gangs retained control of the kidnapped boys, rather than turning them over immediately to Boko Haram, making possible bargaining. At Dandume, the perpetrators were also involved in cattle rustling. According to the media, quick action by the police and a local militia freed the children and recovered the cattle from a local hideout. Both episodes highlight the role of criminal gangs in the north and their interrelationship with governments, jihadi groups, and local militias. "Ungoverned spaces" are controlled by a kaleidoscope of elements ranging from the purely criminal to jihadi. What about the people? The popular support or acquiescence enjoyed by criminal gangs and jihadi groups is hard to judge. But exploited and marginalized people everywhere have turned to criminal gangs and religion since the days of Robin Hood and "evil" King John.

The kidnapping of hundreds of schoolboys from the Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, located in Nigeria's northwestern Katsina state, recalls Boko Haram's 2014 kidnapping of Chibok schoolgirls, of whom more than one hundred are still in captivity. The Kankara school had an enrollment of over eight hundred students—perhaps more than 1,200, according to some reports. Like Chibok, it is a state-run boarding school. According to the Katsina state governor, 333 students are still unaccounted for. Unlike at Chibok, security forces responded quickly to the attack, facilitating the escape into the bush of many of the boys. Abubakar Shekau, the chief of a Boko Haram faction, allegedly is claiming responsibility for the kidnapping. However, in the past, when Boko Haram factions attacked schools, it enslaved the girls and murdered the boys. At Kankara, no boys were killed, and one boy who escaped told the media that he heard an organizer order that none were to be. Boko Haram factions, up to now, have not been active in Katsina state. Criminal gangs, however—called “Fulani” in the media—are ubiquitous and frequently carry out kidnapping for ransom. Hence, the likelihood remains that the kidnapping was carried out by criminal gangs rather than a Boko Haram faction. Katsina is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, who has denounced the kidnapping. Yet Kankara residents are complaining to the media that the state, in failing to protect its citizens, has shown itself to be of little value. Beyond the personal tragedy, that may be the significance of Kankara: it further undermines confidence in the Nigerian state.

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from December 5 to December 11, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.   December 5: Airstrikes killed "several" (estimated at ten) bandits in Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna. December 5: Bandits killed four people in Talata-Mafara, Zamfara. December 6: Nigerian troops killed three bandits in Makurdi, Benue. December 6: Nigerian troops killed four Boko Haram militants in Magumeri, Borno. December 7: Kidnappers killed two and abducted two in Karim-Lamido, Taraba. December 7: Kidnappers abducted three teachers in Uvwie, Delta. December 7: Nigerian troops killed two Boko Haram militants in Bama, Borno. December 7: The Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) killed ten Nigerian soldiers and took one hostage in Damboa, Borno. November 23–December 7: Cult clashes resulted in twenty deaths in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun. December 8: Gunmen killed two in Oredo, Edo. December 8: Nigerian troops killed seven Boko Haram militants in Gwoza, Borno. December 8: Bandits killed sixteen in Dambatta, Kano; police officers claim the deaths were due to a road accident. December 8: A cult clash resulted in two deaths in Warri South, Delta. December 9: Kidnappers abducted a Taraba lawmaker in Jalingo, Taraba. December 9: A land dispute led to five deaths in Isoko South, Delta. December 9: Nigerian troops killed two bandits in Nasarawa, Nassarawa. December 9: Bandits kidnapped twenty-five in Sabuwa, Katsina. December 9: Kidnappers abducted two Indian foreign nationals in Ibadan, Oyo. December 9: ISWA abducted two aid workers in Konduga, Borno. December 10: Police officers killed two civilians in Obio/Akpor, Rivers. December 10: Kidnappers abducted five in Rafi, Niger State. December 11: Gunmen killed one police officer in Uvwie, Delta. December 11: The Nigerian Air Force killed "several" (estimated at ten) Boko Haram militants in Gwoza, Borno. December 11: Herdsmen killed four in Makurdi, Benue. December 11: Bandits may have killed three people and kidnapped up to six hundred students at a school in Kankara, Katsina. December 11: Communal violence resulted in two deaths in Akure, Ondo.

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from November 28 to December 4, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.   November 28: Boko Haram killed 110 people in Jere, Borno.   November 28: Gunmen killed two in Jos South, Plateau.  November 29: Unknown attackers killed eight in Jema'a, Kaduna. November 29: Cultists killed three in Ughelli North, Delta. November 29: Cultists killed three in Ezza North and one in Ezza South in Ebonyi.   November 29: Gunmen killed four in Wukari and two in Jalingo in Taraba.  November 29: Troops killed one bandit while the bandits killed two people in Chikun, Kaduna.  November 30: Pirates killed one and kidnapped two in Okrika, Rivers.  November 30: Troops killed one bandit in Igabi, Kaduna.  November 30: Bandits killed seven farmers and abducted thirty in Sabuwa, Katsina.  November 30: Bandits killed one traditional ruler and kidnapped eight in Talata-Mafara, Zamfara.  November 30: Airstrikes killed "several" (estimated at ten) Boko Haram militants in Konduga, Borno.  November 30: ISWA abducted one aid worker and two local officials in Kaga, Borno.  November 30: Bandits killed four at a market in Mashegu, Niger State; the villagers killed one bandit in retaliation.   December 1: Suspected Fulani militias killed three and kidnapped two in Jos South, Plateau.  December 1: Airstrikes killed "several" (estimated at ten) Boko Haram militants in Gwoza, Borno.  December 2: The assistant commissioner of police was killed in Calabar, Cross River.  December 3: Electoral violence resulted in two deaths in Bakura, Zamfara.  December 3: A land dispute resulted in two deaths in Akure North, Ondo.  December 3: Kidnappers killed three and abducted ten in Uhunmwonde, Edo; vigilantes killed one of the kidnappers.  December 3: A cult clash resulted in five deaths in Alimosho, Lagos. December 3: Boko Haram killed four and kidnapped two in northern Cameroon.  December 3: Villagers kidnapped four police officers and three vigilantes in Ijebu North, Ogun.  December 4: Police officers killed two bandits in Tambuwal, Sokoto.  December 4: Robbers killed four at a market in Oredo, Edo.

In response to the latest atrocity—the November 28 killing of civilians working in rice fields in villages in the Jere local government area, which is close to the Borno State capital of Maiduguri—Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum appears to be looking for Borno State and local entities to restore security. In a public statement, he did call on the federal government to recruit more troops, but his emphasis appears to have been on growing the Civilian Joint Task Force and civil defense forces. These are state and local forces, rather than federal, often with little coordination with the Nigerian army. In the northeast, as federal security provision is breaking down, it is being replaced by state and local entities, as the governor signaled. This trend, to be seen elsewhere in Nigeria, does not bode well for national unity, which has been dependent on the Nigerian army. (Gov. Zulum is a member of President Muhammadu Buhari's political party; the latter issued a statement condemning the atrocity, but despite domestic political pressure, he has thus far has not advanced a new security initiative in response to escalating attacks on civilians.) With some eight hundred casualties in 2020, the Nigerian army has withdrawn into fortified bases, thereby reducing their deaths but ceding control of the countryside to violent armed groups—mostly jihadi, but also criminal outfits. Boko Haram warlord Abubakar Shekau claims responsibility for the killing of seventy-eight rice farmers. (Estimates of the exact number of those killed range up to 110 or even more.) Shekau, according to African media, states that the killing was revenge for local people turning over a Boko Haram operative to the Nigerian army. Boko Haram perpetrators resorted to a familiar form of terror: deliberate throat-slitting. The numbers killed guaranteed national and international media attention, perhaps Shekau’s goal. As in other atrocities, local factors unknown to the Borno State government—much less to the federal government and international media—played a role in the killing.

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from November 21 to November 27, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.   (Last week, November 20: Bandits killed five and kidnapped forty at a mosque in Maru, Zamfara.) November 21: Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) militants killed seven soldiers and one militia member in Gubio, Borno.  November 21: Nigerian troops killed one Boko Haram militant in Bama, Borno.   November 21: Nigerian troops killed approximately seven bandits in Shinkafi, Zamfara.  November 21: Nigerian troops killed six bandits in Maru, Zamfara.  November 22: Nigerian troops killed one bandit in Zurmi, Zamfara.  November 22: Gunmen killed two vigilantes in Udu, Delta.  November 22: Gunmen killed one and kidnapped two in Kokona, Nassarawa.  November 22: Airstrikes killed "several" (estimated at ten) ISWA militants in Kukawa, Borno.  November 23: Bandits killed two in Igabi, Kaduna. November 23: Airstrikes killed sixty-seven bandits in Faskari, Katsina. November 23: Airstrikes killed fifteen bandits in the Ajjah Forest in Zamfara. November 24: Suspected herdsmen kidnapped three in Ajaokuta, Kogi.  November 24: Airstrikes killed "dozens" (estimated at twenty-four) of ISWA militants in Kukawa, Borno.  November 24: Nigerian troops killed two ISWA militants in Gwoza, Borno. November 25: Boko Haram killed three and kidnapped one in Koza, Cameroon.  November 26: Nigerian troops killed three bandits in Katsina-Ala, Benue. November 27: Kidnappers killed one police officer and kidnapped one Chinese engineer in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti.  November 27: Airstrikes killed "several" (estimated at ten) Boko Haram militants in Marte, Borno.  November 27: Nigerian troops killed two Boko Haram militants in Ngala LGA, two Boko Haram militants in Gwoza LGA, and one Boko Haram militant in Damboa LGA in Borno. 

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from November 14 to November 20, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.   November 14: Kidnappers abducted three in Zaria, Kaduna. November 14: Police officers killed two civilians in Kano, Kano. November 14: A cult clash resulted in seven deaths in Ughelli, Delta. November 14: The Nigerian Air Force killed "several" (estimated at ten) Boko Haram militants in Gwoza, Borno. November 14: Kidnappers abducted nine in Ose, Ondo. November 15: Bandits killed two and abducted nine in Kachia, Kaduna. November 15: Kidnappers abducted two and killed one in Kajuru, Kaduna. November 15: Troops killed three bandits in Malumfashi, Katsina. November 15–16: Communal violence resulted in two deaths in Bekwarra, Cross River. November 16: Bandits killed eleven in Igabi, Kaduna. November 16: Kidnappers abducted five tax officials in Vandeikya, Benue. November 17: Bandits killed two in Zangon Kataf, Kaduna. November 17: Bandits killed two and kidnapped "some" (estimated at five) in Giwa, Kaduna. November 17: Gunmen killed three vigilantes in Chikun, Kaduna. November 17: The military killed "several" (estimated at ten) bandits in Kagarko, Kaduna. November 17: Kidnappers abducted eight in Esan South-East, Edo. November 18: Bandits killed one police officer and kidnapped fourteen in Mariga, Niger State. November 18: Airstrikes killed seventeen bandits in Danmusa, Katsina. November 18: Boko Haram allegedly shot down a UN helicopter, killing five in Bama, Borno; the Nigerian Air Force denies this claim. November 19: A clash between customs officials and smugglers resulted in the deaths of one soldier, one customs officer, and one civilian in Ibarapa Central, Oyo. November 20: Kidnappers abducted fourteen in Oredo, Edo. November 20: Gunmen killed one and kidnapped one in Igabi, Kaduna. November 20: A police officer accidentally shot and killed another police officer while trying to quell a protest in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti.

There has long been speculation about how Boko Haram and other terrorist organizations are funded. Some funding clearly comes [PDF] from criminal activity, with kidnapping particularly lucrative, and from bank robberies. Presumably, protection rackets also play a role. At some times and in some places, Boko Haram has been able to impose "taxes" on the local population. Boko Haram has also been involved in trading, especially in the Lake Chad Basin. Weapons—a major expense—appear often to come from government armories, sometimes because "the back gate was left unlocked." In southern, predominantly Christian Nigeria, it is often assumed that northern "big men" provide funding for Boko Haram. Most of this is speculation. It also appears likely that Boko Haram's brand of terrorism is cheap; the organization does not require the levels of funding characteristic of terrorist organizations operating in the Middle East or Europe. Significant, therefore, that the Federal Court of Appeals in the United Arab Emirates, which sits in Abu Dhabi, has sentenced to jail six Nigerians for transferring $782,000 from Dubai to Boko Haram in Nigeria. Two were sentenced to life imprisonment, four to ten years—all for violation of UAE anti-terrorism laws. Two "Boko Haram agents" in Nigeria received the funds, according to media based on court proceedings. One was a "Nigerian government official" who also funneled "government money" to Boko Haram, according to Nigerian media. The defendants did not deny that they transferred to money but claimed that doing so was not illegal. Media accounts are sketchy and incomplete. The defendants could have maintained that the recipients were not Boko Haram. Claims that the UAE court was corrupt are absent from media reporting. The sentences were relatively light. Those sentenced to life imprisonment could have received the death penalty. The amount of money transferred seems large, but no indication of the source of the money is given. Claims that Nigerian government officials were conniving with Boko Haram are common and should not be taken at face value. On the other hand, after more than a decade and often murderous splits, Boko Haram is still far from defeated, implying that it still enjoys support.

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from November 7 to November 13, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.   November 7: Airstrikes killed "several" (estimated at ten) bandits in Kuzo, Kaduna (Local Government Area unknown). November 7: Kidnappers abducted six in Chikun, Kaduna. November 8: Boko Haram militants attacked Gwoza, Borno but were repelled by Nigerian troops who killed one would-be Boko Haram suicide bomber. November 8: Airstrikes killed "several" (estimated at ten) ISWA militants in Abadam, Borno. November 8: Troops killed five Boko Haram militants in Gujba, Yobe. November 8: Troops killed two bandits in Tsafe, Zamfara. November 8: Bandits killed three and kidnapped thirteen in Sabuwa, Katsina. November 9: Gunmen killed two police officers and one other in Igueben, Edo. November 10: Airstrikes killed "several" (estimated at ten) Boko Haram militants in Gwoza, Borno. November 11: Police officers killed four bandits in Mashegu, Niger State. November 11: Bandits killed one and abducted approximately three in Anka, Zamfara. November 11: Troops killed two Boko Haram militants in Ladantar, Borno (LGA unknown). November 12: Cultists killed two in Ikpoba-Okha LGA and two in Egor LGA in Edo. November 12: Troops killed "several" bandits in Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna. November 13: Cultists killed seven in Oredo LGA and one assistant commissioner of police in Ikpoba-Okha LGA in Edo. November 13: Troops killed one bandit in Faskari, Katsina.

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from October 31 to November 6, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.   October 31: U.S. forces killed six suspected bandits during a rescue mission for a kidnapped American citizen around Illela, Sokoto. October 31: Police officers killed a journalist in custody in Agege, Lagos. November 1: Boko Haram killed twelve and kidnapped nine in Chibok, Borno. November 1: Kidnappers abducted four in Calabar South, Cross River. November 2: A Boko Haram landmine killed nine Nigerian soldiers in Abadam, Borno. November 2: The Civilian Joint Task Force killed "scores" (estimated at twenty) of Boko Haram militants in Nganzai, Borno. November 3: Gunmen killed one and kidnapped one in Igabi, Kaduna. November 4: One bandit and two civilians were killed during a clash in Kaura-Namoda, Zamfara. November 5: Gunmen killed one Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps officer and one vigilante, and kidnapped two students in Yola, Adamawa. November 5: Nigerian troops killed five bandits and lost one soldier in Faskari, Katsina. November 5: Gunmen abducted sixteen in Owo, Ondo.

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from October 24 to October 30, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.     October 24: Approximately two security forces and three armed civilians were killed during a clash in Oredo, Edo. October 24: Security forces killed ten looters in Calabar, Cross River. October 24: Stampeding from looters killed six in Jalingo, Taraba. October 24: Six Boko Haram militants and one police officer were killed during a clash in Tarmuwa, Yobe. October 24: Boko Haram killed eight farmers in Konduga, Borno. October 24: Suspected bandits killed one and kidnapped three in Faskari, Katsina. October 24: Nigerian troops killed "several" (estimated at ten) bandits in Giwa, Kaduna. October 24: Nigerian soldiers killed two Boko Haram militants in Abadam, Borno. October 25: Suspected bandits killed one and kidnapped three in Faskari, Katsina. October 25: Hoodlums killed one police officer in an attack on a police station in Ibadan, Oyo. October 25: Soldiers killed four looters in Jos North, Plateau. October 25: Suspected bandits kidnapped five in Maru, Zamfara. October 25: Twenty-two Boko Haram militants, one civilian, and five soldiers were killed during a clash in Damboa, Borno. October 25: Gunmen killed one and kidnapped four in Nasarawa, Nassarawa. October 26: Bandits killed one customs officer in Ringim, Jigawa. October 26: Hoodlums killed one police inspector in Abakaliki, Ebonyi. October 27: Bandits killed one civilian and kidnapped three, and police officers killed five of the bandits in Safana, Katsina. October 27: Gunmen kidnapped seventeen at a mosque in Toto, Nassarawa. October 27: Gunmen kidnapped four in Lafia, Nassarawa. October 28: Gunmen killed one police officer and one civilian in Ado, Benue. October 29: Bandits killed thirty in Dandume, Katsina. October 29: Bandits killed four in Maradun, Zamfara. October 29: Bandits killed one and kidnapped fifteen in Maru, Zamfara. October 29: Soldiers killed three Boko Haram militants in Maiduguri, Borno. October 29: Nigerian troops killed three bandits and lost one soldier in Faskari, Katsina. October 30: Kidnappers abducted three in Akoko North-East, Ondo.

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from October 17 to October 23, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.   October 17: Three #EndSARS protestors were killed in Osogbo, Osun. October 17: One #EndSARS protestor was killed in Abuja, FCT.  October 17: Two were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Ikorodu, Lagos.  October 18: The Nigerian Air Force killed "several" (estimated at ten) Boko Haram militants in Dikwa, Borno.  October 19: Six #EndSARS protestors were killed in Abuja, FCT. October 19: Six were killed when a prison in Benin, Oredo, Edo was broken into. October 19: Four #EndSARS protestors were killed in Etsako West, Edo.  October 19: Six Chadian soldiers and ten Boko Haram militants were killed in a clash on the Chadian side of Lake Chad. October 19: The Nigerian Air Force killed "several" ISWA militants in Abadam, Borno.  October 20: Two police officers and six others were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Ibadan, Oyo. October 20: Six civilians were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Ikorodu, Lagos. October 20: Three civilians were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Abuja, FCT. October 20: Two police officers and three protestors were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Orile, Ikeja, Lagos.  October 20: Police officers killed two #EndSARS protestors in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. October 20: Police officers killed fifteen #EndSARS protestors in Ibeju/Lekki, Lagos. October 20: Bandits killed twenty-two in Talata-Mafara, Zamfara. October 20: Four civilians were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Kano, Kano. October 20: Two police officers were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Aba, Abia. October 20: Three civilians were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Jos, Plateau. October 20: Seventeen were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Mushin, Lagos. October 20: Four were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Epe, Lagos. October 20: Two were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Oredo, Edo. October 20: The Nigerian Air Force killed "several" (estimated at ten) Boko Haram militants in Gwoza, Borno. October 21: Three were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Port Harcourt, Rivers. October 21: Three police officers were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Oyigbo, Rivers. October 21: Two civilians were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Enugu East, Enugu. October 21: Bandits kidnapped a family of four in Katsina, Katsina. October 21: Two were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Njaba, Imo. October 21: Two were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Mbaitoli, Imo. October 21: One police officer and one civilian were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun. October 21: Two civilians were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Ikorodu, Lagos. October 21: Police officers killed three #EndSARS protestors in Ondo, Ondo.  October 22: One police officer was beheaded in #EndSARS-related violence in Nnewi, Anambra. October 22: Three were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Onitsha, Anambra. October 22: Two police officers were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Ibadan, Oyo.  October 22: Two were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Akure, Ondo. October 22: Kidnappers abducted two pastors and one church member in Aniocha South, Delta.  October 22: Police officers killed five looters in Alimosho, Lagos. October 23: Five were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Calabar, Cross River. October 23: One customs officer and one aggressor were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Illorin, Kwara. October 23: Two police officers were killed in #EndSARS-related violence in Nnewi, Anambra.

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from October 10 to October 16, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.     October 10: Kidnappers abducted twenty-four people in Kuje, FCT.  October 10: One person was killed during protests against the Special-Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) in Ogbomosho, Oyo.  October 10: Gunmen killed nine in Giwa, Kaduna.  October 10: Gunmen killed two in Bauchi, Bauchi.  October 11: Soldiers killed two during a curfew protest in Sanga, Kaduna.   October 11: Bandits killed eight in Faskari, Katsina.  October 11: Three people were killed during protests against SARS in Ogbomosho, Oyo.  October 11: Gunmen killed a mobile police officer in Okpe, Delta. October 12: One police officer and one civilian were killed during protests against SARS in Surulere, Lagos. October 12: Bandits killed six vigilantes in Rafi, Niger State. October 12: Boko Haram killed fourteen farmers in Maiduguri, Borno. October 13: Vigilante members killed eleven herdsmen in Kurfi, Katsina. October 13: A military airstrike killed "several" (estimated at ten) bandits in Batsari, Katsina.  October 15: Armed robbers killed a mobile police officer in Warri, Delta.  October 15: Gunmen killed three at a mosque in Koton Karfe, Kogi.  October 15: Military airstrikes killed "several" (estimated at ten) ISWA members in Abadam, Borno.  October 16: Communal violence led to nine deaths in Isoko South, Delta.  October 16: Two people were killed during protests against SARS in Oredo, Edo.  October 16: ISWA killed fourteen soldiers in Konduga, Borno.  October 16: Boko Haram killed three people and kidnapped five children in Oudal, Cameroon. Learn more about John Campbell's upcoming book, Nigeria and the Nation-State: Rethinking Diplomacy with the Postcolonial World, out in early December 2020.

Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from October 3 to October 9, 2020. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These incidents are included in the Nigeria Security Tracker.     October 3: The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) killed a civilian in Ughelli North, Delta.  October 3: Gunmen killed a pastor in Ekiti West, Ekiti.   October 3: A police officer killed a civilian in Abuja, FCT.  October 3: Suspected Fulani bandits killed nine in Batsari, Katsina. October 3: Bandits kidnapped twenty in Jibia, Katsina.  October 4: One was killed in election-related violence in Akure, Ondo.  October 4: Troops killed two bandits in Kachia, Kaduna.  October 5: Sectarian violence led to six deaths in Riyom, Plateau.  October 5: Troops killed a bandit leader and "some" others (estimated at five total) in Barkin Ladi, Plateau.  October 5: Bandits kidnapped six in Maru, Zamfara.  October 6: Herdsmen killed two in Bassa, Plateau.  October 7: Kidnappers abducted three in Kuje, FCT. October 7: Kidnappers abducted twelve in Ughelli North, Delta.  October 8: One police officer and one civilian were killed during an EndSARS protest in Ughelli North, Delta.  October 8: Police officers killed two robbers in Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom. October 8: Suspected herdsmen killed two in Afikpo, Ebonyi. October 8: Air strikes killed "many" (estimated at twenty) bandits in Batsari, Katsina. October 9: Gunmen killed one police officer and one civilian in Ethiope East, Delta.  October 9: Police officers dispersed protestors with gunshots in Osogbo, Osun. October 9: Bandits killed three in Giwa, Kaduna.    Learn more about John Campbell's forthcoming book Nigeria and the Nation-State.