By ZAGAZOLA MAKAMA

At least 294 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were killed in various terrorist attacks across Niger during the month of May 2025, according to a report.

The victims included 188 members of the defence and security forces (FDS) and 106 civilians, among them 25 members of local militias. The report, which covers incidents between May 1 and May 31, paints a grim picture of the ongoing insecurity in several regions of the country.

The deadliest attacks occurred in the regions of Tillab?ri, Dosso, Tahoua, and Diffa, where extremist groups have continued to target both military installations and local communities.

On May 26, at least 53 soldiers, including a unit commander, Capt. Aziz was killed near Natangou in the Falmey area, in an assault claimed by Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM). Just a day earlier, 64 Nigerian Armed Forces (FAN) personnel died in Eknewan, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS).

In multiple incidents along the oil pipeline route in Gaya and Konni, several personnel securing the area were killed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including 7 FDS on May 25 and 6 more on May 23.

Civilian casualties were also reported in large numbers. On May 12 and 13, 16 civilians were killed in Kokorou (Zaney and Fambita), while 11 more lost their lives on May 18 in a coordinated assault that also saw homes and food stores burned.

Other notable incidents include: 8 mining employees were killed by an IED on May 9 near Samira. 7 women and girls were killed in a roadside explosion on May 8 between Baroua and Bosso. 37 soldiers killed in an ambush in Doutchi on May 4, also attributed to EIGS.7 local militiamen were killed in Danga on May 11, alongside 12 others in Anzourou in related attacks.

The report also notes the torching of schools in Kobadi? by JNIM on May 16, although no casualties were confirmed in that incident.

Security analysts say the casualty figures could be higher, as some incidents remain unverified or unreported due to remoteness and communication challenges.

As terrorist violence escalates across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, there is an urgent need for Nigeria and Niger Republic to rebuild trust and re-establish operational security ties. Both countries share more than a border they share a destiny shaped by geography, culture, security, and economic interdependence.

Despite political rifts following the July 2023 coup in Niger, the realities on the ground demand pragmatic and immediate cooperation. It is in Nigeria's national security interest to extend a hand of fellowship to Niger, especially in light of rising insurgent incursions in Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Borno, and Zamfara, all states that border Niger?s volatile regions of Tahoua, Maradi, Tillab?ri, and Diffa.

Joint military operations between the two countries had, in the past, yielded substantial gains against Boko Haram and ISWAP. These successes must not be lost due to political inertia. It is time to resume joint border patrols, intelligence sharing, and coordinated offensives to prevent terrorist groups from exploiting governance vacuums.

Niger, on its part, should seriously consider returning to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) a regional framework that once facilitated effective collaboration between Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon in the fight against Boko Haram. The MNJTF has been weakened by political withdrawals, yet it remains one of the few existing African-led mechanisms with cross-border legitimacy and a history of battlefield results. (Zagazola)

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