IS militants attack village in northeastern Nigeria, killing 29

Key Points:

• Militants linked to the Islamic State attacked Guyaku village in Adamawa state, northeastern Nigeria, killing at least 29 people, as confirmed by local authorities and claimed by IS via Telegram.
• Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri condemned the attack, highlighting ongoing security challenges in Nigeria’s north, where insurgencies have persisted for over two decades.
• Nigeria faces multiple IS-backed militant groups, including ISWAP active in Adamawa and Lakurawa operating in northcentral states; it remains unclear which group was responsible for the Guyaku attack.
• On the same day, gunmen abducted 23 pupils from an illegal orphanage school in Lokoja, Kogi State, with 15 rescued and efforts ongoing to recover the remaining eight children amid rising kidnappings targeting students.
• The kidnappings of students have become a significant security concern in Nigeria, with armed groups using schools and children as strategic targets to gain attention and leverage.