Clues

• This African nation is the most populous country on its continent and one of Africa’s largest economies.
• Major ethnic groups are the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Ijaw and Igbo, which together constitute over 60–70% of the population, with over 300 additional smaller ethnic groups making up the rest.
• It hosts a delta that is ranked as the 12th largest petroleum-producing province in the world, and it hosts Africa’s largest oil reserves.
• Africa’s top crude oil producer and largest exporter, typically producing over 1.3–1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) as of early 2026.
• The country is simultaneously battling:
  • Islamist insurgency
  • Armed bandit networks
  • Farmer–herder conflict
  • Kidnapping syndicates
  • Separatist militancy
  • Communal massacres
• Two major extremist groups active in the country are:
  • Boko Haram: Despite intense rivalries with ISWAP, Boko Haram remains active in the Northeast.
  • ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province)
  • JNIM (Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin)
  • Lakurawa: A new jihadist group affiliated with ISIL increasingly active in the northwest (Sokoto and Kebbi).
• One of the most dangerous insurgency zones lies around the Lake Chad Basin region.
• Key conflict-hit states include:
  • Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Zamfara, Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, Kwara
• The country’s northwestern forests, including:
  • Rugu Forest
  • Kamuku Forest
  • Falgore Forest (strongholds for heavily armed criminal gangs)
• In the central region, farmer–herder violence has intensified in:
  • Benue State
  • Plateau State
  • Nasarawa State
• A separatist movement seeking an independent state called “Biafra” remains active in the southeastern region.
• Important cities and conflict zones include: Maiduguri, Jos, Kaduna, Sokoto, Katsina, Makurdi.
• Armed groups frequently exploit porous borders connected to: Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
• Security analysts increasingly describe the situation as: “A multi-front security emergency driven by insurgency, climate stress, weak governance, and organized armed violence.”