Islamic rebels’ resurgence threatens Nigeria elections

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Baba Inuwa was pleased to move back to his vegetable farm in Nigeria’s northeast, encouraged by the military’s offensive against Boko Haram, the country’s homegrown Islamic extremist rebels and by President Muhammadu Buhari’s claim that the insurgency had been crushed.

“We thought all was over and Boko Haram can never return,” Inuwa said.

But then last month the extremists rolled into Inuwa’s hometown, Baga, firing into the air, hoisting flags and claiming it as their own. Suddenly residents were on the move again, fleeing with little more than the clothes on their backs.

Nigeria’s government now acknowledges an extremist resurgence, this time by a Boko Haram offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province, the IS group’s largest presence outside the Middle East, estimated to have more than 3,000 fighters. Their near-daily attacks have many traumatized Nigerians questioning whether they can vote for Buhari as he seeks a second term.

Others question how the elections can be held in the troubled northeast region. Even though the National Assembly has approved a record $147 million for election security, some polling workers in remote areas have rejected their posts in fear of being attacked. The opposition objects that voting will be held in government-controlled camps, which in “liberated” communities are the safest locations.

Up against Atiku Abubakar, a fellow northern Muslim and former vice president, Buhari could end up like former President Goodluck Jonathan, who lost in 2015 after his failure to stop extremism.