HRW raises alarm about rising attacks on civilians in Nigeria - JURIST - News

## Summary
News Ifeatu Nnaobi , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons 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. 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. Nigeria has struggled with insurgent groups and armed conflict for decades, primarily Islamist group Boko Haram, which is responsible for multiple targeted civilian attacks.

## Article Content
News
Ifeatu Nnaobi
,
CC BY-SA 4.0
, via Wikimedia Commons
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.

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- 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.

### Areas for Consideration
- News Ifeatu Nnaobi , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons 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.
- The resurgence of such attacks in Maiduguri is deeply alarming and underscores the persistent threat armed groups pose to everyday life.
- The group called on Nigerian authorities to enhance civilian protections in high-risk areas and improve early warning and response measures.

### Implications
- 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 .

### Expert Commentary
This article covers attacks, nigeria, armed topics. Notable strengths include discussion of attacks. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 397.