Human Rights Watch (HRW) expressed concern on Thursday about a resurgence of violent attacks against civilians in Nigeria following recent bombings in the city of Maiduguri, Borno State capital, urging Nigerian authorities to strengthen civilian protection.
Nigeria researcher at HRW, Anietie Ewang, alerted to the escalating violence, stating:
These latest attacks show that civilians in northeastern Nigeria remain dangerously exposed to deadly violence, despite years of national security efforts. The resurgence of such attacks in Maiduguri is deeply alarming and underscores the persistent threat armed groups pose to everyday life.
On March 16, multiple bombs were detonated in crowded public locations in Maiduguri, damaging a post office, a local market, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and a nearby neighborhood, resulting in several injuries, deaths, and significant infrastructure damage. The Nigerian military attributed the bombings to Islamist insurgent groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, although no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
HRW noted that despite a decline in violent attacks linked to Boko Haram, recurrent incidents across Borno indicate that insecurity and armed insurgency remain persistent threats in the region. The group called on Nigerian authorities to enhance civilian protections in high-risk areas and improve early warning and response measures. This includes providing necessary support to victims and all those who have lost their livelihoods due to the attacks.
Nigeria has struggled with insurgent groups and armed conflict for decades, primarily Islamist group Boko Haram, which is responsible for multiple targeted civilian attacks. In January 2025, Boko Haram executed farmers and fishermen from the Dumba community in Borno and pursued anyone who tried to escape. The armed group has also raided schools and abducted students in addition to committing serious human rights violations against abducted schoolgirls. In June 2025, armed men invaded the Yelewata farming community in Benue state, resulting in the deaths of nearly 200 people.
Rights groups have consistently criticized government response to these attacks, claiming national efforts to reduce death and restore security have been ineffective. In May 2025, Amnesty International stated that Nigerian authorities failed to protect their population from violent attacks and that their response worsened the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
In January, the UN World Food Programme reported that over one million people in northeastern Nigeria faced food insecurity amid funding cuts and escalating violence.
