Nigeria militant attacks

In northwestern Nigeria, attacks on villages in Katsina state killed at least 47 people on April 20. The attacks were blamed on groups of armed bandits known to be operating in the area. The motivation behind the attacks was not known at press time.

Nigeria has been fighting the Islamist militant group Boko Haram in its northeastern region for many years. Boko Haram regularly attacks villages, often kidnapping women in the process. However, the bandit groups in the northwest are not associated with Boko Haram or Islamism in any way.