Timbuktu Institute - Week 1 - April 2026

The attacks in Jos, particularly during Palm Sunday, serve as a reminder that Nigeria remains plagued by extremely deadly communal and religious violence. Dozens of people have lost their lives in shootings, spreading terror in an already highly fragile region. With the security situation critical, the University of Jos decided to suspend exams out of fear for the lives of students and faculty. These attacks are major disruptions to the lives of residents in these constantly affected areas, bringing all activities to a standstill while creating a climate of fear. This violence appears to be repeating itself without the federal government being able to find a lasting solution. On the same security front, a new attack took place, this time at a bar where some thirty people lost their lives, sparking the anger of residents who gave chase to the attackers to take justice into their own hands. For them, waiting for the competent authorities is no longer enough; they are willing to put themselves in danger in the hope of achieving peace. Without equitable protection for all citizens, these cycles of revenge will be difficult to stop, threatening the cohesion of a country already divided by other security crises in the North and South.

Northeastern Nigeria: Attacks at the Heart of Daily Life

The recurrence of attacks in northeastern Nigeria is escalating; loggers have been targeted, bringing the death toll to 27 and the number of abductees to 18. The sharp rise in these attacks is causing persistent anxiety. Indeed, killings are becoming increasingly frequent, driving up the number of victims. The fragility of the security situation in these areas is becoming increasingly apparent due to the tactics of armed groups, which consist of attacking populated areas and targeting civilians. By instilling fear in the local population, they simultaneously manage to disrupt the central government’s ability to establish an action plan to limit the advance of these groups. Managing this crisis is a major challenge due to its geographical scope and complexity. Since the number of attackers is substantial, they are able to strike in multiple locations simultaneously, thereby increasing the number of victims. The spread of terrorism across the continent—which is not confined to a single country but affects the entire continent—is an alarming issue requiring efficient management by state authorities.