Nigeria Security Forces Alert Over Planned ISWAP Attacks

On April 13, a memo from the Nigeria Customs Service indicated that security agencies are on high alert due to intelligence suggesting planned attacks by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram. The targets include the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and a prison facility in Niger State.

The memo, which was seen by the Associated Press, revealed that the objective of these attacks is to free detained terrorists and damage critical infrastructure. Security agencies have reportedly heightened their alert levels to prevent potential attacks, following a pattern similar to recent assaults in neighboring Niger Republic, particularly in Niamey and Tahoua.

In an earlier incident, jihadists attacked a military facility in Niamey, resulting in injuries to several soldiers and damage to military assets. Abdullahi Maiwada, a spokesperson for the Nigeria Customs Service, stated he was not aware of the memo.

Nigeria continues to face multiple security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping, with the Global Terror Index ranking the country among those most affected by ISWAP and Boko Haram-related deaths.