Nigeria: Ungushi – the Ambiguous Face of Violence in Northern Nigeria

Abuja — The attack on the village of Ungushi illustrates the complexity of the violence suffered by Nigerian communities. The targeted community is predominantly Muslim, and the local imam was among the victims. The attackers belong to a recently formed group that operates in the grey area between banditry, organized crime and jihadism.

On the evening of Sunday, August 16, an armed group attacked the village of Ungushi, in the Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria,…