Nigeria bombing

This item appears on page 18 of the January 2018 issue.

A suicide bomber struck a mosque full of worshipers in the town of Aubi, within the state of Adamawa in northeastern Nigeria, on Nov. 21, killing at least 50 people. As of press time, no group had claimed responsibility for the attack, but authorities believed that the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has been involved in an insurgency in Nigeria for eight years, was responsible. 

Boko Haram suicide bombers have targeted sites in the area in the past. Since 2011, more than 20,000 people have been killed in the war between Nigeria and Boko Haram, many of them civilians. 

The US Department of State warns against traveling to Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kano and Yobe states because of the presence of Boko Haram, which has targeted churches, schools, mosques, government installations, educational institutions and entertainment venues throughout the country.

The State Department also warns that Islamic State West Africa, which is now a distinct group from Boko Haram, is present in Nigeria and may seek to attack locations frequented by Westerners, including in major population centers.