Boko Haram terror strikes Nigeria again, market blast kills 47

Jihadi terror has struck Africa’s largest economy, yet again. At a busy commercial area in the village of Sabon Gari in northeastern Nigeria, there was a massive bomb blast during the peak hours on August 11 that killed around 47 people and injured many others. The explosion took place inside the market near the livestock section, said witnesses. According to media reports, “Witnesses said the blast bore the hallmarks of Boko Haram, which has previously targeted crowded bus stations, markets, mosques and churches during its bloody six-year insurgency.”

Nigeria has been facing a spurt of terror attacks, with the rise of the terror group Boko Haram which has a strong presence in many parts of Nigeria and has spread to neighbouring countries as well. Boko Haram is estimated to have killed more than 15,000 people since 2009. There has been a drastic increase in insurgency ever since Muhammadu Buhari took over as president of Nigeria earlier this year. The Nigerian president has vowed to crush the insurgency. As a part of his approach to take on Boko Haram, Mr Buhari initiated a joint military cooperation between five countries Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin that is expected to go into action shortly.

The latest terror attack shows the need for Nigeria to bolster its capacity to take on the terrorist outfit. Abuja has decided to upgrade its military industrial complex and equip its armed forces with modern weapons. Nigeria has also sought the help of the US to tackle the terror groups. The US has agreed to help Nigeria in taking on Boko Haram, but cannot provide weapons under law to those countries that fail to tackle human rights.

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