Report: “Jihadists Entering Nigeria Through the Benin Republic”
According to a recent study, there is strong evidence that fighters affiliated with jihadist organizations from the Sahel region have crossed into Nigeria over the border with the Benin Republic.
This analysis was released on Wednesday by the Clingendael Institute, a Sahelian-focused research institution based in the Netherlands.
There is a demand for alertness and action from interested parties in Nigeria because there has been a notable increase in acts of extremism and terrorism in the Sahel region, particularly in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Niger Republic.
Particularly affected is the tri-border region that these three nations share; terrorist groups like the Islamic State and Al Qaeda have increased their presence there and are attacking both civilians and government officials.
In addition, the surge in military coups in recent times has intensified the state of unrest, leading to West African nations pulling away from France and the United States and turning to Russia for support.
Benin, which borders Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and the Niger Republic, has likewise seen an increase in violent extremism in its northern regions.
The Clingendael Institute stated in their analysis that “that violence has now seeped into Nigeria.”
According to the research, the extremist Islamist group Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) controls areas where banditry is once again on the rise. JNIM appears to have connections to Nigeria and engages in violent actions.
The report goes on to say that these radicals have set up shop in the states of Kebbi and Niger’s Kainji Lake National Park.
There is evidence that Sahelian extremists—likely JNIM—are involved in this. The article mentioned Darul Salam as another group, which has an open stance against bandits and is somewhat associated with Boko Haram.
It is known that bandits and unknown armed organizations travel from Sokoto to Kebbi State. According to the Clingendael study, among them are fighters from Darul Salam who are said to have ties to the Sahel.
But it’s still unknown why the Sahelian radicals are at the park and how they plan to interact with other armed groups.
