Gunmen on motorcycles attacked a relaxation spot in the Dakata District of Kano at approximately 7:00 p.m., opening fire on a group of men playing an outdoor board game (draughts). Five people were killed instantly and two others were seriously injured. The attack occurred despite the Kano State Government's ban on commercial motorcycle operations imposed just days earlier following the 19 January assassination attempt on the Emir of Kano.
22 Jan 2013 · Dakata District, Nassarawa, Kano
Deaths
5
Injured
2
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
7
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
JTF operatives arrived at the scene after attackers had fled; victims transported to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital. The attack occurred despite the recently imposed ban on commercial motorcycles in Kano metropolis following the 19 January Emir of Kano convoy attack
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Boko Haram’s strategy to terrorize communities by attacking everyday social activities, discouraging public gatherings, and spreading fear.
Trajectory
Boko Haram's strict Wahhabist interpretation of Islam, which considers gambling and games of chance (including board games like draughts) to be forbidden (haram). The attack was part of the group's broader campaign to enforce its version of Islamic law on civilian populations by targeting those engaged in recreational activities deemed immoral. The use of motorcycles for the attack occurred despite a recently imposed citywide ban on commercial motorcycles, demonstrating the attackers' disregard for government security measures .
Cycle notes
This incident directly echoes earlier Boko Haram attacks on civilians engaged in recreational activities documented throughout 2012, including the 13 April 2012 attack on a football viewing centre, the 13 May 2012 attack on card players in Kano, and the 16 September 2012 attack on ludo players in Bauchi . The targeting of board game players specifically reflected the group's ideological enforcement campaign, similar to the 21 January Damboa attack targeting hunters selling bush meat. The method—attackers arriving on motorcycles, carrying out a rapid operation, and fleeing—was a signature Boko Haram tactic refined throughout 2012 and into 2013. The Dakata attack also prefigured continued targeting of civilian leisure venues throughout the 2013-2014 period, as Boko Haram sustained its campaign against activities it deemed un-Islamic.
Pattern
Civilian Targeting in Social Spaces
Related — Armed Attack
Eight Boko Haram insurgents, armed with guns and riding on four motorcycles, attacked the village of Kuburubu at dawn. The assailants entered homes while the residents were asleep, resulting in the deaths of six people and the abduction of 13 others, which included seven women, five teenage boys, and one teenage girl. Many others were left wounded as the attackers fled into the bush with their captives.
Gunmen attacked policemen on patrol along the Ogobia–Adoka axis in Otukpo LGA, Benue State.
As part of the coordinated Christmas Day terror wave, assailants attacked an evangelical Christian church in Jos, Plateau State. The attackers, who had arrived at the church around 8 a.m., threw improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at the church, which damaged some of the fencing. A shootout ensued between the attackers and security agents, and a police officer was reportedly killed in the attack. Three vehicles were damaged and a portion of the church fence was destroyed. The explosives failed to cause a full‑scale blast, and no worshippers were injured. The Special Adviser to the Plateau State Governor on Media and Publicity, Ayba Pam, commended the swift response of security operatives, which he said prevented the attackers from causing even further damage. Four suspects were arrested in connection with the attacks and a spokesman for the Special Task Force said they would be charged after the holidays.