JNIM: Another Terrorist Group Announces Entry Into Nigeria, Key Facts Emerge
- JNIM, the al-Qaeda-linked coalition long active in the Sahel, has claimed its first attack inside Nigeria
- A soldier was reportedly killed in Kwara state on October 31, with the group releasing video evidence of the incident
- Analysts warned that the move could signal a new phase of jihadist expansion into Nigeria’s central region
On the morning of October 31, 2025, a short propaganda message began circulating across jihadist-aligned online channels. Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), the al-Qaeda-linked coalition that has reshaped conflict dynamics in the Sahel for over a decade, claimed responsibility for an attack inside Nigeria.
According to Humangle Media, the group later released a video showing the aftermath of the incident, in which a soldier was killed at a border community in Kwara state, North Central Nigeria. This marked JNIM’s first publicly acknowledged violent operation on Nigerian soil.
Source: Getty Images
Earlier, in July, JNIM had released another video claiming it had established a foothold in Niger State, also in the North Central region, where Ansaru, another al-Qaeda-linked faction, is known to operate.
JNIM’s expansion beyond the Sahel
For years, JNIM has been described as one of the most resilient jihadist forces in the Sahel. It has steadily expanded its reach across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, challenging state authority, displacing millions, and fuelling one of the world’s fastest-growing humanitarian crises.
Nigeria, already battling multiple armed groups such as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), Lakurawa, IPOB, and others, had until now remained outside JNIM’s core theatre. Analysts suggested that this may now be changing.
JNIM's symbolic crossing into Nigeria
There was no evidence yet that JNIM had established permanent bases within Nigeria. The reported attack appeared closer to a reconnaissance operation than a territorial campaign.
Observers noted that JNIM’s expansion in Mali and Burkina Faso followed a familiar pattern. Small, ambiguous attacks were used to test military responses, identify sympathetic local actors, and expose security gaps. Over time, these probing operations evolved into deeper entrenchment, including parallel governance systems, taxation, and courts.
For example, on May 2, 2017, JNIM’s Katiba Macina wing ambushed Malian forces near Dogofry, killing nine soldiers and injuring five others. That incident marked JNIM’s first attack in western Mali and was followed by many more once the group had tested the military’s readiness to respond.
Seen in that context, the October attack in Kwara State may represent a strategic signal rather than an isolated act of violence. Analysts suggested that the group might be testing a loophole in Nigeria’s security architecture that could allow it to create additional fronts in the central region.
JNIM: Local networks provide entry points
JNIM’s growth across the Sahel has not depended solely on the movement of fighters across borders. Instead, it has thrived by embedding itself within existing local conflicts.
A similar model may now be unfolding in northwestern Nigeria. Over the past five years, the region has witnessed the rise of several terrorist groups. Among them is Lakurawa, a violent network operating across Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, and Katsina states.
Initially described by some officials as “harmless herders”, Lakurawa was designated a terrorist group by Nigerian authorities in September 2024 after a series of attacks, forced displacements, and the imposition of social control over rural communities.
Security experts warned that such groups could provide fertile entry points for transnational jihadist movements. “JNIM can sow chaos by tapping into armed group networks,” Taiwo Hassan Adebayo, a Lake Chad Basin researcher at the Institute for Security Studies was quoted to have said.
As seen elsewhere in the Sahel, JNIM has demonstrated its ability to forge tactical alliances with non-ideological armed actors. In exchange for training, weapons, and access to transnational funding networks, local groups offer intelligence, mobility, and legitimacy within their communities.
This convergence often blurred the lines between crime and insurgency, making violence harder to contain and even harder to resolve.
Source: Original
Lakurawa terrorists raid Kebbi customs base
Legit.ng earlier reported that a Nigeria Customs Service officer has been killed following a deadly attack on a customs outpost in Maje, Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The assault was reportedly carried out by members of the Lakurawa terrorist group, who invaded the camp in large numbers on Friday night.
Residents said the attackers stormed the base, shooting indiscriminately before setting the facility ablaze. One of the officers on duty was said to have been killed during the onslaught. The camp was left in ruins after the terrorists completed their operation.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
