A female suicide bomber infiltrated a housing estate in Dikwa that housed returnees who had come back to the town after it was recaptured from Boko Haram in 2015. The bomber sneaked into a building close to the estate and detonated the explosives strapped to her body. The explosion caused massive casualties among residents who had been displaced by the insurgency and had only recently returned to their homes.
28 Jul 2017 · Dikwa, Dikwa, Borno
Deaths
14
Injured
24
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
38
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
Col. Clement Nwachukwu, Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the Theatre Command, confirmed troops were mobilized to the area. He stated: "We are doing all we can to provide adequate security through our continuing operations but we urge the public to be more security conscious and know who their neighbours are"
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
The attack deliberately targeted a housing estate for internally displaced persons who had returned to Dikwa after it was recaptured from Boko Haram in 2015. By striking returnees, Boko Haram sought to undermine government efforts to resettle displaced populations and discourage others from returning
Trajectory
In 2017, the State was desperate to show that the war was over by moving people home; Boko Haram responded by turning the home into a grave, proving they still held the power of life and death in liberated towns.
Cycle notes
Mirrored earlier attacks by Boko Haram including the 23 July 2017 coordinated suicide bombings at Dalori IDP camps, the 9 February 2016 Dikwa IDP camp attack in the same town, the 11 September 2015 Malkohi IDP camp bombing in Yola, the 8 January 2017 Kalari residence bombings, the 15 May 2017 Shuwari Buri deception-based attack, and the 18 June 2017 female suicide bombings targeting homes and mosques, collectively reflecting a recurring pattern of targeting displaced and returning populations in residential settings, where Boko Haram deploys female suicide bombers to infiltrate communities perceived as secure in order to undermine resettlement efforts, deter returns, and reassert psychological control over reclaimed territories.
Pattern
IDP Returnee Targeting and Female teenage suicide bomber deployment
Related — Bombing/IED
ISWAP fighters activated seven Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) against a Nigerian Army convoy of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and other vehicles escorted by a foot patrol. The ambush killed over 30 soldiers, destroyed three vehicles, and resulted in the seizure of an armored vehicle, weapons, and ammunition
A teenage female suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at the crowded Damaturu central motor park (bus station) in Yobe State. The blast occurred as the perpetrator was examining her luggage at the security checkpoint. Police confirmed that seven people, including the bomber, were killed, and 32 others were injured. An angry mob prevented rescue workers from retrieving the bomber‘s remains and set the body parts on fire.
A male suicide bomber disguised as a worshipper arrived at the church on a motorized rickshaw. He entered the uncompleted church and detonated his explosives, killing five worshippers instantly. A sixth person, a female church member who was injured, later died in the hospital. The victims included a woman and her two children, as well as the pastor