The military Joint Task Force in the North-East, Operation HADIN KAI, has warned residents of possible attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province fighters during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
The military said intelligence reports pointed to plans by insurgents to target crowded civilian areas with suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices.
The warning, contained in a security advisory issued on Monday by the headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI, comes days before the Muslim festival scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, across Nigeria.
Military authorities said the threats were linked to “remnant” elements of Boko Haram and ISWAP allegedly seeking to exploit the festive period by attacking areas with heavy human traffic, particularly prayer grounds, markets, motor parks and other public gathering points in parts of the North-East.
Although the command insisted it had already taken preventive measures, the advisory underscores continuing security concerns in a region that has spent more than a decade battling insurgency, mass displacement and repeated attacks on civilian targets.
The latest warning was also issued against the backdrop of renewed concerns over extremist violence in other parts of the country, including recent security breaches and isolated attacks reported in Oyo State, where security agencies have heightened surveillance following fears of possible infiltration and coordinated criminal activity.
Security personnel reports have increasingly pointed to a pattern in which insurgent groups exploit major religious celebrations and periods of mass movement, when public spaces are crowded and security pressure is stretched across multiple locations.
In the statement signed by the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the military said troops had been deployed ahead of the celebrations to vulnerable and strategic locations across the theatre of operation.
The command added that surveillance activities had been intensified, while intelligence and reconnaissance assets had been fully activated to monitor movements within the region.
According to the statement, security operations are also being coordinated with other security agencies, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and local vigilance groups as part of efforts to prevent attacks during the Sallah period.
“The Theatre Command wishes to assure the public that these threats have been thoroughly anticipated,” the statement said.
Residents were advised to avoid unnecessary movement, especially at night, and to remain vigilant in crowded places during the festivities.
The military further urged members of the public to report suspicious movements, abandoned objects and unfamiliar persons to security agencies or military checkpoints without delay.
In what appeared to be an indication of heightened concern over mass gatherings, the command advised residents to celebrate as close to their homes and familiar communities as possible and to avoid large open gatherings where practicable.
The latest advisory mirrors similar alerts issued by security agencies and international observers during previous festive periods.
In March 2026, shortly before the end of Ramadan and the Eid celebrations, Operation HADIN KAI issued a related warning after deadly explosions struck busy civilian locations in Maiduguri, including a market, a post office and the entrance of a hospital.
At the time, the military warned of increased risks of suicide bombings during the final days of Ramadan. It noted that extremist groups often escalate attacks during periods of large religious gatherings.
That warning followed attacks in which at least 23 people were reportedly killed and more than 100 injured in coordinated explosions blamed on suspected Boko Haram elements.
Similar concerns were also raised during the Christmas period of 2025, months before the recent terrorist incidents reported in the United States that renewed global attention on soft-target attacks and lone extremist operations.
Several humanitarian organisations, security observers and intelligence-linked advocacy groups warned in December 2025 that armed groups were allegedly planning coordinated Christmas attacks in parts of Plateau, Kaduna, Benue and Nasarawa states.
One of the reports, published by top Nigeria newspaper, cited warnings by Equipping The Persecuted, a humanitarian organisation, which claimed terrorists were regrouping for attacks around Christmas Day in communities such as Riyom, Bokkos, Kafanchan and Agatu.
During that time, operatives of the Department of State Services reportedly confirmed awareness of intelligence suggesting possible attacks during the festive season, while community leaders in parts of the Middle Belt acknowledged that Christmas periods had repeatedly witnessed violent assaults on rural communities.
International Christian Concern, in another report published on December 16, 2025, similarly observed that attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria had historically intensified around Christmas celebrations, citing previous massacres during the 2023 and 2024 festive periods.
The recurring advisories and subsequent attacks have raised fresh questions among security observers about whether extremist violence in parts of Nigeria follows a predictable operational pattern tied to major religious events, public holidays and periods of increased civilian movement.
While the military maintains that troops are fully prepared to contain any threat, the repeated issuance of pre-festive alerts reflects the persistent fragility of security in parts of northern Nigeria despite years of military operations against insurgent groups.
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