Boko Haram Changes Tactics

Market of Maiduguri, Nigeria Photo credits: Quentin Leboucher / AFP On Saturday January 10th, a young girl detonated explosives in the crowded market of Maiduguri, a city in Northern Nigeria. Boko Haram, the Islamic militant group operating in the region, claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed 20 and injured several more. This aggression represents a new tactic being adopted by the terrorist organization in northern Nigeria: employing young abducted girls to carry out missions both destructive to themselves and to the targeted people.

In previous occasions, Boko Haram has employed women as suicide bombers to achieve their goals -- but never young females. Last year two women bombed the same market of Maiduguri, the Monday Market, using this suicidal tactic. Moreover, another group of four women carried out a bombing attack in the city of Kano this past summer. However January 10th’s massacre was carried out by a young, innocent-looking girl, strapped with bombs.

Although security forces with metal detectors were stationed at the entrance of the shopping hub, the young girl’s explosives -- strategically hidden under her veil -- went undetected. This strategic concealment of the explosives, in combination with her unassuming bearing as a young female, packaged her as the least possible suspected individual. Witnesses claim that this child might have been unaware that she was carrying explosives. However, this same girl resisted the vigilant officers when they noticed a bundle around her waist and attempted to search her; it was at that moment that the bombs went off, launching the young girl’s body parts into the air, according to a shopper by the name of Bakura Bashir.

With officials now fully aware of Boko Haram’s change in strategy, every female -- young or old -- will be treated as a potential agent of the terrorist organization, according to a top federal police official.

The day following this attack, two female suicide attackers killed another three people and injured 43 in the town of Potiskum. According to Marcus Danladi, police commissioner for Yobe state, the two women intended to blow up the mobile phone market in the city, but exploded before arriving at the desired location.

Since 2009, Boko Haram has been present in this region of Nigeria perpetrating attacks in schools, hospitals, markets and other public spaces, instilling great fear among the local population. Amidst the current wave of intensified attacks over the past few weeks throughout the northeastern region of Nigeria, this change in tactics will make it much more difficult for security officials and protocols to detect and control Boko Haram’s threats and attacks. Unfortunately, Nigeria has still been unable to draft an effective enough security procedure to combat the terrorist group, which in months to come can become much more sophisticated and complex than it already is.