Security situation per zone or region
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36 EASO Country of Origin Information Report - Nigeria Security Situation
3. Security situation per zone or region
In this chapter, the security situation is described during the reporting period of 1 Octo-
ber 2017-30 September 2018. This includes:
• the nature of violent incidents,
• the actors involved,
• the areas of control (or influence)
• the impact on the local population, including access to food.
In this chapter the situation in the North East zone, the North Central zone, the Niger Delta,
and Zamfara State will be described. In the last section, a summary of several other manifes-
tations of violence is discussed.
3.1 North East Zone
3.1.1 General description of the region
The North East Zone compromises six states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and
Yobe) and covers close to one third (280 419 km2) of Nigeria’s land area (909 890 km2). The zone
C C N189). According to the National
Bureau of Statistics (NBS) the population of the North East Zone is estimated at 26.3 million
people which is 13.6 % of Nigeria’s total population (estimated at 193 million people (data
190). The region counts 205 ethnic minorities, of which the Kanuri and the Hausa-Fulani
191 T M192), but there
C 193).
(189) Abdul-Aziz M. Nyako. “Concept Note North East Development Commission”, May 2015, url, p. 3.
(190) NBS, Population of Nigeria 2016, available at: url.
(191) ACAPS, Nigeria Country Profile – Ethnic or tribal Groups, latest update 2 May 2018, url ; Kwaja, C., “Nigeria’s Pernicious Drivers of Ethno-religious Conflict’,
July 2011, url, p. 3.
(192) Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa, April 2010, url, p. ii.
(193) International Crisis Group, Northern Nigeria: Background to Conflict, Africa Report N° 168, 20 December 2010, url, p.i.
EASO Country of Origin Information Report - Nigeria Security Situation 37
Bali
Toro
Ibi
Biu
Fune
Gashaka
Ningi
Bama
Song
Alkaleri
Gassol
Fufore
Kurmi
Damboa
Tou go
Konduga
Wukari
Tarmua
Kukawa
Kirfi
Dukku
Mafa
Ganjuwa
Jada
Geidam
Marte
Gujba
Bursari
Bauchi
Akko
Fika
Kaga
Karin-Lamido
Magumeri
Yusufari
Hong
Abadam
Jakusko
Sardauna
Donga
Lau
Yunusari
Darazo
Gubio
Gwoza
Takum
Mobbar
Zaki
Hawul
Gamawa
Gulani
Nganzai
Dikwa
Ussa
Gombi
Kwami
Demsa
Ngala
Shira
Guzamala
Yorro
Ganaye
Zing
Ardo-Kola
Nafada
Shani
Askira/Uba
Monguno
Misau
Gireri
Jere
Balanga
Chibok
Bayo
Katagum
Billiri
Nguru
Funakaye
Michika
Lamurde
Damban
Warji
Bogoro
Karasuwa
Dass
Maiha
Kala/Balge
Tafawa-Balewa
Shelleng
Machina
Mayo-
Belwa
Yamaltu
/Deba
Itas/Gadau
Numan
Guyuk
Nangere
Giade
Madagali
Kaltungo
Shomgom
Mubi North
Bade
Yola
North
Bade
Potiskum
Kwaya
Kusar
Jama'are
Mubi South
Jalingo
Maiduguri
Yola
South
Lake Chad
Benue
Lagdo Reservoir
Mbakabu
Reservoir
Niger
Lac de Lere
Jos
Dutse
Bauchi
Jalingo
Damaturu
CAMEROON
NIGER CHAD
CHAD
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8.729385
9.729385
9.729385
10.729385
10.729385
11.729385
11.729385
12.729385
12.729385
13.729385
13.729385
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Nigeria - Northeast States: Reference Map
Yola
ADAMAWA
TARABA
GOMBE
BAUCHI
YOBE
BORNO
Gombe
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
Creation date: 28 January 2016
Developed only for humanitarian activities purposes.
Sources: UNCS, International Organization for Migration, World Hea lth Organization Feedback: ochanigeria@gmail.co m
https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/nigeria www.unocha.org/nigeria
State Capital
Airport
Paved Roads
Rivers
Lakes
Other States
Abuja
Map 10: Nigeria: North-East states. Map provided courtesy of the UN Office for the Coordina-
tion of Humanitarian Affairs. The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on
U N194)
(194) UN OCHA, map Nigeria: North-East states – Reference map, 28 January 2016, url.
38 EASO Country of Origin Information Report - Nigeria Security Situation
3.1.2 Background to the conflict
The rise of the Boko Haram conflict dates back to the early 2000s when a small group appeared
in North East Nigeria, initially referred to as the Nigerian Taliban or Yusufiyya (after its radical
founder and leader Muhammed Yusuf), rejecting all secular authority and seeking to create a
strict Islamic state, which it believes would address the ills of society, including ‘unbelief’, cor-
195). The group turned increasingly violent after the extra judi-
cial killing by the police of Mohamed Yusuf, in July 2009, which brought it under the regime of
Y A S196). Under his rule, the organ-
isation is held responsible for the killing of more than 20 000 people since May 2011. Further-
more, the conflict created an estimated 2.3 million displaced people in the Lake Chad Basin,
including an estimated 208 509 Nigerian refugees in neighbouring countries of Cameroon,
C N197).
In April 2014, Boko Haram drew worldwide attention when it abducted around 270 schoolgirls
from a government secondary school in the town of Chibok in Borno State. Although 60 girls
escaped soon afterwards and others have been released after mediation, around 100 were
reportedly still in captivity as of May 198). Almost four years after the Chibok abduc-
tion, another 110 schoolgirls were abducted in the town of Dapchi in Yobe state on 19 Febru-
ary 2018. Within five weeks almost all the girls were released except five who didn’t survive
C I 199).
At the peak of the insurgency in early January 2015, Boko Haram controlled 11 of the 27 local
government areas (LGAs) of Borno state, with a total area of about 20 000 square miles - an
area the size of Belgium. More than 20 towns, including Baga, Gwoza and Bama, were under
control of the group, with a total population exceeding 1.7 million people, according to the
200).
In August 2016, ISIS recognised Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the 22-year-old son of Boko Haram
founder Mohamed Yusuf, as the new leader. As a result, the group split up in two warring
factions due to the fact that Abubakar Shekau refused to surrender his leadership. The faction
led by Barnawi is called Islamic State-West Africa (ISIS-WA), while the faction led by Shekau is
called Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad JAS201). The latter faction can be trans-
P C P T J202).
More information on Boko Haram’s objectives and structure, modus operandi, human rights
violations and situation of persons targeted by BH is provided in EASO COI report Nigeria,
Targeting individuals, November 2018.
(195) International Crisis Group, Northern Nigeria: Background to Conflict, 20 December 2010, url; and International Crisis Group, Curbing Violence in Nigeria (II):
The Boko Haram Insurgency, Africa Report N°216, 3 April 2014, url.
(196) Mahmood, O.S. & Ani, N.C., Factional Dynamics within Boko Haram, 6 July 2018, url , p.6.
(197) CFR, Global Conflict Tracker, 11 April 2018, url.
(198) Independent, Why the Chibok girls returned by Boko Haram are still not entirely free, 1 May 2018, url.
(199) BBC, Nigeria Dapchi abductions: Schoolgirls finally home, 25 March 2018, url; Africanews.com, Nigeria’s military rescues 76 schoolgirls, says parents, gov’t
officials, 21 March 2018, url.
(200) Onuoha, F.C. & Oyewole, S., Anatomy of Boko Haram: The Rise and Decline of a Violent Group in Nigeria, Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, 22 April 2018, url,
p. 5; The Telegraph, Nigerian army retakes control of key Boko Haram town, 16 November 2014, url. The Telegraph, Boko Haram is now a mini-Islamic State,
with its own territory, 10 January 2015, url.
(201) Mahmood, O.S. & Ani, N.C., Factional Dynamics within Boko Haram, 6 July 2018, url, p. 3. Unfortunately most sources do not make a distinction between
those two factions. In that case the group will be referred as Boko Haram as umbrella term.
(202) BBC, Who are Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamist group?, 24 November 2016, url; TRAC, Boko Haram (Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad - JAS), n.d., url.
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