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Satellite Images Show Horrific Scale of B/Haram Attack on Baga-Amnesty
Satellite images released by Amnesty International yesterday claimed it provided indisputable and shocking evidence of the scale of last week’s attack on the towns of Baga and Doron Baga by Boko Haram militants.
Before and after images of two neighbouring towns, Baga (160 kilometres from Maiduguri) and Doron Baga (also known as Doro Gowon, 2.5 km from Baga), taken on 2 and 7 January show the devastating effect of the attacks which left over 3,700 structures damaged or completely destroyed. Other nearby towns and villages were also attacked over this period.
“These detailed images show devastation of catastrophic proportions in two towns, one of which was almost wiped off the map in the space of four days,” said Daniel Eyre, Nigeria researcher for Amnesty International.
“Of all Boko Haram assaults analysed by Amnesty International, this is the largest and most destructive yet. It represents a deliberate attack on civilians whose homes, clinics and schools are now burnt out ruins.”
The analysis shows just two of the many towns and villages that fell victim to a series of Boko Haram attacks which began on 3 January 2015.
In Baga, a densely populated town less than two square kilometres in size, approximately 620 structures were damaged or completely destroyed by fire.
In Doron Baga over 3,100 structures were damaged or destroyed by fire affecting most of the 4 square kilometre town. Many of the wooden fishing boats along the shoreline, visible in the images taken on the 2 January, are no longer present in the 7 January images tallying with eye witnesses’ testimony that desperate residents fled by boat across Lake Chad.
Thousands of people have fled the violence across the border to Chad and to other parts of Nigeria including Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
These people are adding to the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people and refugees, who have already stretched the capacity of host communities and government authorities. Amnesty International is calling on the governments of Nigeria and Chad to ensure these displaced people are protected and provided with adequate humanitarian assistance.
The destruction shown in these images matches the horrific testimonies that Amnesty International has gathered. Interviews with eyewitnesses as well as with local government officials and local human rights activists suggest that Boko Haram militants shot hundreds of civilians.
A man in his fifties told Amnesty International what happened in Baga during the attack: “They killed so many people. I saw maybe around 100 killed at that time in Baga. I ran to the bush. As we were running, they were shooting and killing.” He hid in the bush and was later discovered by Boko Haram fighters, who detained him in Doron Baga for four days.
Those who fled describe seeing many more corpses in the bush. “I don’t know how many but there were bodies everywhere we looked,” one woman told Amnesty International.
Another witness described how Boko Haram were shooting indiscriminately killing even small children and a woman who was in labour. “[H]alf of the baby boy is out and she died like this,” he said.
Boko Haram fighters have repeatedly targeted communities for their perceived collaboration with the security forces. Towns that formed state-sponsored militia groups known as the Civilian Joint Task Force (Civilian JTF) have suffered particularly brutal attacks.
Civilian JTF groups were active in Baga and a senior military official confirmed to Amnesty International confidentially that at times the military took these members on operations to attack Boko Haram positions.
A witness told Amnesty International that during the attack on Baga that he heard Boko Haram fighters saying they were searching for Civilian JTF members, as they went house to house shooting men of fighting age.
After the attack on Baga, witnesses describe how Boko Haram drove into the bush rounding up women, children and the elderly who had escaped. According to one woman who was detained for four days “Boko Haram took around 300 women and kept us in a school in Baga. They released the older women, mothers and most of the children after four days but are still keeping the younger women.”
Amnesty International is calling on Boko Haram to stop killing civilians. The deliberate killing of civilians and destruction of their property by Boko Haram are war crimes and crimes against humanity and must be duly investigated.
The government should take all possible legal steps to restore security in the north-east and ensure protections of civilians.
“Up until now, the isolation of the Baga combined with the fact that Boko Haram remains in control of the area has meant that it has been very difficult to verify what happened there. Residents have not been able to return to bury the dead, let alone count their number. But through these satellite images combined with graphic testimonies a picture of what is likely to be Boko Haram’s deadliest attack ever is becoming clearer,” said Daniel Eyre.
“This week, Nigeria’s Director of Defence Information stated that the number of people killed in Baga including Boko Haram fighters “has so far not exceeded about 150”. These images, together with the stories of those who survived the attack, suggest that the final death toll could be much higher than this figure.”
African technology start-ups will receive a $46 million (€40 million) commitment from EIB Global, the development arm of the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The funds will be deployed through the first Africa-focused investment vehicle from European venture capital (VC) firm Speedinvest.
The Speedinvest Africa Fund, which has a total target size of €200 million, targets companies across innovation hubs in Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.
It also invests in high-potential markets, including Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tunisia, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The investment strengthens EU–Africa ties, supports digital transformation, and promotes inclusive economic growth, says the EIB.
The strategy is designed to improve digital and financial inclusion while enabling start-ups to scale across borders by strengthening linkages between African and European ecosystems. Technology has the power to turn good ideas into real impact, says Karl Nehammer, vice-president of the EIB.
By backing this vehicle, it is enabling African innovators to scale, access new markets, and build sustainable businesses, says Nehammer.
The fund focuses on technology-enabled and mobile-based services across payments, healthcare, mobility, and education.
This aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway priorities and is expected to deliver social benefits, including job creation for youth and expanded access to digital banking for underserved communities.
At least 30% of the vehicle’s capital will support companies advancing gender equality, including those with women as founders, employees, or consumers.
With EIB Global support, the firm is deepening its long-term commitment to backing founders across Africa while strengthening enduring bridges between Africa and Europe, says Oliver Holle, CEO and managing partner of Speedinvest.
Speedinvest has previously backed African growth-stage companies, including mobility fintech Moove and digital bank FairMoney.
By combining a local presence with a European network of operators, sector expertise, and follow-on capital, the firm aims to help founders scale regionally and internationally, says Holle.
The fund will be managed by partners Deepali Nangia and Rana Abdel Latif, with a new African office planned to support its local operations.
Three individuals connected to a US tech firm have been indicted by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) for their alleged role in a massive scheme to smuggle billions of dollars worth of restricted Nvidia AI chips to China, bypassing strict export controls.
Nvidia Chip
Prosecutors accuse the suspects of using fake documents, dummy equipment, and even hair dryers to tamper with labels in a bid to dodge compliance checks.
The plot centred on high-performance semiconductors from Nvidia, which are tightly regulated by the US due to fears they could boost China’s military and AI capabilities.
Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw, a US citizen and co-founder of California-based Super Micro Computer (a server maker), has been charged alongside two Taiwanese nationals: Ting-Wei “Willy” Sun and Ruei-Tsang “Steven” Chang (who remains at large).
The group reportedly partnered with a Southeast Asian firm to order servers packed with banned chips. They falsified records claiming the gear would stay in Asia, but repackaged and shipped it covertly to China.
Tactics included deploying thousands of fake “dummy” servers for audits, while real restricted tech was diverted. Sun allegedly used household hair dryers to swap serial numbers and labels.
Super Micro Computer confirmed the suspects’ links but stressed it faces no charges and is aiding the probe.
The DOJ estimates the intermediary bought $2.5 billion in equipment, illegally funneling vast amounts of controlled AI tech to China without licences.
This case underscores escalating US-China tech rivalry, where advanced chips are viewed as vital for national security and economic edge.
In a parallel probe, two Chinese nationals were earlier charged for rerouting chips via Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and mainland China. US authorities warn of tough penalties for evasion.
This development signals intensified global scrutiny on tech supply chains amid superpower tensions.
United Kingdom and Nigeria have agreed on a three-year strategic plan to tackle organised immigration crime and strengthen border security cooperation.
The initiative was announced in a joint statement by the UK Home Office following the state visit of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the UK.
The agreement was signed by UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to the statement, the framework focuses on combating visa fraud, improving border management systems, and enhancing legal cooperation between both countries.
Under the plan, Nigeria is expected to review its legal framework to impose stricter penalties on immigration-related offences, particularly those involving forged or fraudulent travel documents.
Both countries also pledged to strengthen laws and enforcement mechanisms governing visa processing and travel documentation.
A key component of the agreement is the expansion of the UK–Nigeria Organised Immigration Crime Unit, with new memoranda of understanding centred on intelligence sharing and joint operations.
The UK government will further support Nigerian border agencies through training programmes and capacity-building initiatives.
The partnership also places emphasis on the protection of vulnerable migrants, particularly women and children, while enhancing research, document verification systems, and migration monitoring processes through the UK–Nigeria Migration, Justice and Home Affairs Dialogue.
Both governments described the agreement as a reflection of their shared commitment to tackling transnational crime and improving migration management through closer collaboration.
The deal forms part of broader engagements during Tinubu’s visit, which focused on strengthening bilateral relations across security, migration, and economic development.
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