Nigeria raises alarm as militants tighten grip on Mali

Nigeria has warned that the worsening militant crisis in Mali could destabilize West Africa if urgent international action is not taken.

The warning followed a wave of coordinated attacks in northern Mali that exposed the growing strength of insurgent groups operating across the Sahel region leaving key Malian towns in the control of the groups.

In an interview on Wednesday, reported by Bloomberg, Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, described the situation as a major regional threat, urging the international community to unite against the insurgents before the violence spreads further across West Africa.

“The international community… must come together to fight this devil,” Musa said, warning that if militants secure a permanent foothold in Mali, “they are not stopping there.”

Pluboard reported in late April how militants launched simultaneous assaults, leading to the death of Mali’s Defence Minister, General Sadio Camara, and forcing Malian troops alongside Russian-backed fighters to retreat from the strategic city of Kidal. The attacks were carried out by jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda together with Tuareg separatist rebels.

Security analysts say extremist groups are increasingly exploiting weak borders and remote forest corridors stretching from Mali through Niger and Burkina Faso into parts of northern Nigeria.

Reports say the militant networks now operate across more than 3,000 kilometres of territory in the Sahel, raising fears of a broader regional security collapse.

The latest violence has also renewed concerns over the effectiveness of foreign military interventions in Mali. Since 2013, several international missions involving France, the United Nations, the United States, and Russian mercenary forces have attempted to contain insurgent groups, yet militants continue to expand their reach.

Following the attacks, Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goïta, reportedly assumed control of the defense ministry after the killing of General Camara.

The deteriorating security situation has sparked international concern. The United Nations condemned the attacks and called for the protection of civilians, while regional leaders warned that unchecked extremist expansion could threaten peace and economic stability across West Africa.