Boko Haram On The Brink, Terrorist Attack On Nigerian School

Nigerian military forces have uncovered a great deal of intelligence documents, videos and other sensitive material from Boko Haram (also known as the Islamic State West Africa Province) during their ongoing offensive to eradicate the Islamist group in Sambisa Forest. Many of the seized videos document scenes of trial and execution, and are believed to be in part propaganda videos designed to intimidate the local population in areas controlled by Boko Haram. So far, the military reports that over 1000 civilians have been rescued from Boko Haram camps, most of these being children and women taken by Boko Haram as sex slaves. Reports from liberated captives indicate that Boko Haram may be low on supplies and morale. Yet, as mentioned before here on Free Fire, Boko Haram is still capable and dangerous even as they lose ground.

Boko Haram may be in fact attempting to launch a small counter offensive of their own. An armed man entered the College of Administrative and Business Studies in the northeastern Nigerian city of Potiskum and opened fire, severely wounding six or seven individuals. Reports indicate that the gunman encountered the security cordon around the school and opened fire on the crowd waiting to be screened before entering the school himself. Contradictory reports circulate about how many attackers there were. Some report that the gunman was subdued by students, and that the shooter had a suicide bomber accomplice who detonated himself without causing any civilian casualties. Others state that there was only one terrorist who detonated himself after running out of ammunition for his assault rifle.

Thus far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack but Boko Haram is the most likely candidate. Boko Haram has carried out terrorist attacks in Potiskum in the past, and the latest attack in Potiskum is very much in the style of Boko Haram. This current attack in Potiskum bears a close similarity to last fall’s bombing of the Government Senior Science School in the same city.