Timbuktu Institute - Week 3 - February 2026

A new wave of deadly violence in Nigeria is being felt in the centre-west of the country, where at least 46 people were killed in coordinated attacks on three villages by armed ‘bandits’. The attackers, who arrived in large numbers on motorbikes, opened fire on residents, looted shops and set fire to homes, also causing the displacement of hundreds of survivors. This tragedy illustrates the persistent chronic insecurity in this region, marked by conflicts over control of resources and kidnappings for ransom, despite repeated promises by the Nigerian authorities to strengthen the protection of civilian populations against increasingly daring criminal groups.

Escalating violence against Christian communities in Taraba

A deadly attack on 10 February 2026 in Mchia, Taraba State, where ten Christians were killed by Fulani herdsmen. Leaders of the Diocese of Wukari denounce a ‘bloodbath’ and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis: since September 2025, the violence has reportedly left more than 100 people dead, destroyed 200 churches and communities, and displaced 90,000 Catholics. The attackers are said to be specifically targeting religious buildings and homes in the early hours of the morning, while seizing agricultural land and committing abuses against civilians. In response to this situation, the Church is launching an urgent appeal to the Nigerian government for the immediate deployment of security reinforcements in vulnerable rural areas and is calling for increased humanitarian aid to avert a major catastrophe.

Eight soldiers killed in ISWAP attack near Lake Chad

A large-scale offensive was carried out by approximately seventy fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) against a military base in Cross Kauwa, in north-eastern Nigeria. The violent assault killed eight soldiers and wounded twenty-three, while the attackers destroyed eleven armoured vehicles and stole anti-aircraft equipment before fleeing. This raid is evidence of the general resurgence of violence in Borno State, despite the recent deployment of American reinforcements to support the Nigerian army. In a conflict that has been ongoing since 2009 and has already claimed more than 40,000 lives, this attack highlights the resilience of jihadist groups in the strategic Lake Chad area, forcing the authorities to strengthen their international security cooperation

Jihadist massacre in seven villages in Kebbi State

A series of coordinated attacks carried out on 18 February 2026 by the jihadist group Lakurawa against seven villages in the Arewa area of Kebbi State (north-western Nigeria). These violent assaults targeted residents who tried to resist, killing more than 30 civilians and creating a climate of terror. The emergence of this group, suspected of links to Islamic State in the Sahel, exacerbates a security situation already weakened by the activities of local criminal gangs specialising in kidnapping for ransom. Despite the immediate deployment of the army and local militias to stabilise the area and track down the attackers, this outbreak of violence highlights the continuing challenges for the Nigerian authorities in a region now at the heart of transnational jihadist threats.