Boko Haram, ISWAP Use Armed Drones in North-East Nigeria

Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) are increasingly deploying armed drones in North-East Nigeria, particularly in Borno and Yobe states. This trend, which began around February 28, has raised significant concerns regarding the escalation of attacks on military and civilian targets.

Ezenwa E. Olumba, an analyst at the London School of Economics and Political Science, highlighted that ISWAP's acquisition of 35 quadcopter drones through smuggling routes in the Lake Chad Basin indicates a dangerous phase of insecurity in Nigeria.

The use of drones allows for sustained and coordinated attacks against Nigerian military forces, shifting from sporadic raids to more organized assaults. Samuel Malik from Good Governance Africa noted that the adaptation of ISWAP's military strategies poses a growing threat, while Taiwo Adebayo from the Institute for Security Studies urged the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to disrupt supply routes and enhance domestic drone production to counter this evolving threat.