Jihadist group militants increase attacks in Nigeria-Niger-Benin borderlands

New data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) project showed that various jihadist groups, such as Al-Qaida and JNIM have recently expanded their activity in the border region between Nigeria, Niger and Benin, turning the zone into a flashpoint of violence.

Jihadist militant groups have long terrorised Nigeria’s north and parts of Niger and Benin. But in recent years, they have entrenched their presence in the zone, escalating attacks and violence against civilians and armed forces alike.

These are the findings of a new report published by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED), an international organisation that analyses and collects data on conflicts around the world.

In 2025, jihadist violence in the border zone spiked in comparison to the years before.

“The borderlands form a connected conflict zone, although with distinct dynamics in each country,” it was noted on ACLED’s website.

In Nigeria’s Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara states, the number of violent events increased by 86%. Benin experienced irregular but particularly deadly cross-border raids by Islamist groups. And in Niger, ISSP claimed to be behind two ambushes of the Nigerien armed forces in December in Goubey and in Birni N’Konni in February.

Numerous jihadist groups operate in West Africa, including Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Boko Haram (mainly in Nigeria), Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) and Islamic State in the West African Province (ISWAP).

Governments of countries in the region have been struggling so far to control the spread of violence, prompting most recently the US armed forces to conduct air strikes on ISSP camps in Nigeria over what the US government criticised as Nigeria’s failure to reign in violent attacks on Christian civilians.