Al-Azhar Observatory Warns of the Spread of Terrorism from the Sahel to Nigeria
The head of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Nigeria said that at least 18 people were killed and 30 others injured after a series of attacks carried out by female suicide bombers in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.
It is worth mentioning that Barkindo Saidu, the Director-General of Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) stated that the attacks targeted a wedding, a funeral, and a hospital, resulting in many deaths and injuries in the town of Gwoza, located in Borno State in northeastern Nigeria.
He added that the victims include children, adults, and pregnant women. He noted that “the severity of the injuries ranges from severe abdominal wounds to skull fractures and limb fractures.”
Meanwhile, some local media reported that the death toll is much higher, as the Nigerian newspapers “Vanguard” and “This Day” said that at least 30 people were killed in the suicide attacks.
In turn, the army imposed a curfew around the attack sites, while the police stated that the attack occurred a day after gunmen killed 17 people in an attack on the village of Gorokaya after the villagers refused to pay the so-called harvest tax.
Although no group or organization has claimed responsibility for the attacks according to available information, fingers point to Boko Haram and its splinter faction known as “West Africa Province,” which is loyal to the terrorist organization ISIS. The group is known for employing suicide attack tactics targeting gatherings, using girls who fall into their hands during the kidnappings they have become notorious for since the infamous Chibok girls incident, which resulted in the abduction of around 300 girls.
For its part, al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism condemns these brutal attacks, which are denounced by all religions and rejected by all customs. It expressed concern about the spread of escalating violence and terrorism from the Sahel region to West Africa, especially Nigeria, which has experienced a relative calm since the beginning of this year. However, the last three months have seen a significant increase in terrorist attacks in the Sahel region, particularly in the border triangle between Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
The Observatory also emphasizes the need to track down terrorist elements in the various areas where they operate and work on freeing the girls who have fallen captive to these groups. This is to protect them from the brutal practices committed against them by these organizations and to safeguard communities from them if these groups employ them as ticking bombs that claim innocent lives and undermine security and stability.
