The first attack happened on November 28 in Kano, the capital city of the State of Kano: the attackers targeted the Grand Mosque during the service using explosives and light guns in a sort of “twofold action” that caused more than 100 victims. The other two attacks took place on December 1. Damaturu, capital city of Yobe State, was assaulted by gunmen who set a police base on fire and targeted a primary school and the university as well: about 150 people are reported dead, including militants, 38 police officers and 6 soldiers. In Maiduguri, capital city of Borno State, two women blew themselves up in a market place causing more than 10 deaths.  

The apparent increasing of Boko Haram’s attacks rises concern, especially because elections are about to be held in 2015. Is it possible that Boko Haram is willing to do the same thing that the Islamic State is doing in Syria and Iraq? There is who believe that the jihadist group, or at least part of it, is seeking territorial expansion[1]. Should that be true, they may benefit from their control over north-eastern regions and from the non-perfect shape of Nigerian army[2] (and security forces in general). 

KENYA / SOMALIA – AL SHABAAB

Al-Shabaab is not stopping either. On December 2, the Qaedist group made itself responsible for the death of 36 non-Muslim workers in a cave in northern Kenya: after the attack, militants probably crossed the Kenya-Somalia border back being only 20 kilometres away. The killings are al-Shabaab’s retaliation for Kenyan involvement (started in 2011) in the hunting of Somali rebels.

Moreover, on December 3, a United Nations’ convoy was involved in a kamikaze attack nearby Mogadishu airport and caused the death of at least 4 people (3 of them were members of the escort). The convoy was on its route toward a UN base in the city when it was attacked. After a few hours al-Shabaab claimed the attack: «Our Mujahedeen based in Mogadishu have today targeted a convoy of foreign mercenaries and their apostate allies nearby the airport»[3].