NewStats: 3,264,219 , 8,183,003 topics. Date: Tuesday, 10 June 2025 at 08:24 AM 4a6o59

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Jihadi fighters who had long operated in Africa’s volatile Sahel region have settled in northwestern Nigeria after crossing from neighboring Benin, a report said Wednesday, the latest trend in the militants’ movements to wealthier West African coastal nations.

The extremists believed to be linked to al-Qaida have in the last year crossed over from Benin’s hard-hit northern region and settled in Kainji Lake National Park, one of Nigeria’s largest, where other armed groups have also gained access, according to the report by the Clingendael Institute think tank, which has done extensive research in the Sahel.

Residents close to the park told The Associated Press that the facility, which holds one of West Africa’s fast-declining lion populations, has been closed for more than a year because of security threats from armed groups attacking neighboring villages and roads.

“Before, it was like a tourism center (but) now, people find it difficult to through there,” said John Yerima, who lives near the park in New Bussa town. “You cannot enter that road (leading to the park) now. It is dangerous, seriously.”

The security situation at the 5,300-square kilometer (2,000-square mile) park in Niger state and along the nearby border with Benin is “getting out of hand” and is “a much more explosive situation than we had anticipated,” said Kars de Bruijne, one of the authors of the report and a senior research fellow at the institute.

The “sustained presence” of the armed groups in the park is the first sign of a connection between Nigeria’s homegrown extremists that have launched a decadelong insurgency in its northern region, and al-Qaida-linked militants from the Sahel, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert, Bruijne said.

Their presence offers an opportunity for the extremists to claim large-scale success in both countries, already wracked by deadly attacks in recent years, he added.

Known as a global hot spot for violent extremism, the Sahel region’s worsening security crisis comes as military coups are toppling democratic governments. As the military governments struggle to contain the violence, they are increasingly severing security with traditional partners and the United States and turning to Russia for .

In northwest Nigeria, security analysts have in the past warned that the region’s remote territories, where the government is largely absent but have rich mineral resources and high poverty levels, present an opportunity for expansion for jihadi groups that had operated mainly in the Sahel, as well as the Islamic State group, whose fighters hold sway in the Lake Chad basin.

“A link between Lake Chad and the Sahel is a major opportunity for al-Qaida and the Islamic State to boast about their profiles as leaders of global jihad,” the report said.

There are also concerns from conservationists that the presence of armed groups in the park could further threaten the remaining lions whose populations have declined as a result of poaching and climate change. They say the park and most protected wildlife areas in Nigeria are poorly patrolled, making them easy targets for armed groups.

“The security situation has become top of the list when it comes to the concerns about the lion populations in Nigeria,” said Stella Egbe, senior conservation manager at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation.

The Nigerian military often conducts aerial bombardments and deploys its personnel in criminal hideouts in the conflict-battered northern region. However, security forces — fatigued by the decadelong war in the northeast — are still outnumbered and outgunned in those remote villages, and the root causes of the conflict such as poverty remain.

The Clingendael report said it is unclear what the motive of the Sahel extremists in the park is and what their relationship with other armed groups there will be. Security analysts say it offers opportunities for logistics and more influence amid booming illegal trade across the porous border.

“The Sahelian jihadis potentially can try to use northwestern Nigeria as a place for fundraising, for logistics and to try to influence the jihadi groups there as part of their own competition,” said James Barnett, a fellow at the Hudson Institute whose works in northwestern Nigeria were cited in the report.

Across many villages in Nigeria’s northwest, banditry — not jihadi fighters — remains the major security threat, Barnett said.

The bandits have on a few occasions in the past collaborated with jihadi fighters as two separate groups in carrying out attacks. But even in rare collaborations, he said, there can be “very deadly consequences.”

https://apnews.com/article/nigeria-sahel-africa-jihadi-extremism-benin-cd845a1a320e6083688408afc923381f

Where are the intelligence agencies in Nigeria, they are always in comatose and unable to see such threats coming.

The NIA isn't doing its job

Give it to CIA, MI6 and other powerful intelligence agencies across the world, they
are always on top of their jobs, they even have several combat units that they use when necessary.

Once the US completely pulls out of Niger republic, West Africa is in trouble.

The pull out of from Mali and those areas as brought about an increase in terrorists activities in West Africa. No wonder the jihadists were jubilating when Mali asked to leave. The jihadist have now taken over half of Mali.

Boko Haram dey learn work and are still apprentices. These Iswap and AlQaeda ones are journeymen terrorists.

Northwest neighbors Southwest..

Just tha jihadist sees infidels not southwest..

They’re welcome.

Ok

Is like Nigeria have been encamped by the terrorist

Holly Gram Real Matters on top real matters


LITE UP my WEED in peace


WTF MAN!

Residents should be given ultimatums to vacate the area, and the Nigerian Army should declare a military operation immediately. I hope its as simple as that.

When there is little or no resistance from the security forces

Kiding

Hmm

Odin13:
Northwest neighbors Southwest..

Just tha jihadist sees infidels not southwest..

They’re welcome.

You missed geography classes in secondary school.
North West is just as close to the South South and South East, ane even closer to the North East and North Central.

Ghen ghen...e don get started

A Muslim terrorist settles in Northern Nigeria.

Nigerian is in trouble.

Is not funny but it worth laughing.

God1000:
Where are the intelligence agencies in Nigeria, they were busy sleeping and unable to see this coming.

The NIA isn't doing its job

They are busy earning how to recites national anthem

Hahahaha

they didnt settle they were invited by APC terrorist terrorist govt

So many loopholes in this nation and it’s scary .dont be surprise if they bribed their way into the country

Who will now protect Nigerians when the nigeria army have not saved themselves.

It is to be expected. The Sahel has been a bedrock for armed Jihadi fighter fir a long time. It was only natural that they woukd head south eventually

6gh

gbaskiboy:
Is like Nigeria have been encamped by the terrorist

Before nko?

Will there ever be peace in this world?

It has started oohh

Religion has done more harm to the world than anything else.



Just imagine a world without Islam.

Just think of Africa without religion.

Nigeria is made for some folks