Nigeria's Security Crisis Worsens Amid Insurgent Exploitation

SBM Intelligence's latest security analysis reveals that Nigeria's security crisis is expanding, with insurgent groups, criminal gangs, and armed actors exploiting vulnerabilities in state security across various regions. The report highlights recent activities of Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North-East, and Lakurawa in the North-West, noting that while military operations have diminished their strength, these groups continue to adapt and exploit poorly secured communities.

Boko Haram factions near the Sambisa Forest are conducting opportunistic raids for resources as military efforts restrict their supply lines. The report also discusses the neutralization of 38 Lakurawa fighters in Gummi, Zamfara, predicting ongoing tensions in Sokoto and Zamfara as security forces intensify operations.

The assessment coincides with a series of violent incidents across Nigeria, including a mass abduction in Niger State and a significant death toll reported by the United Nations in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states between April and June 2026.