Al-Qaeda's Branch in West Africa, Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), Reportedly Expands to Nigeria
Bottom Line Up Front
On 31 October 2025, a video allegedly from al-Qaeda's branch in West Africa, Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), circulated widely online, showing the group claim credit for its first-ever attack in Nigeria. JNIM is already active in Mali, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Togo. JNIM's name translates as Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims. At the time of writing, JNIM's official propaganda outlet, Az-Zallaqa Media, has not released a statement about the attack and the video in question does not contain any Az-Zallaqa branding.
The video shows weapons, ammunition and military equipment seized from an attack in Nuku, Kwara State, Nigeria. At the time of this report, JNIM's official propaganda outlet, Az-Zallaqa Media, has issued no claim of credit for the attack. The video was taken in a forested area and is narrated by the cameraman. The narrator can be heard saying the words "Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM)" and "Nigeria" at the beginning of the video.
The video shows one automatic weapon, some cash, mobile phones and other equipment:
He also films a motorcycle, apparently seized as a result of the attack. The body of water in the background is notable and likely shows that JNIM in Nigeria will set up camp near water. This is a common survival strategy by Jihadist groups in West Africa.
At least three other people can be seen in the video. They appear relaxed, likely feeling safe at their location. One person can be seen laying down on a camping bed:
In Detail
Reuters reported that the attack killed one Nigerian soldier, consistent with the video which shows one seized motorcycle and one rifle.
This attack comes after a video circulated widely on social media on 12 July 2025, showing JNIM fighters allegedly located in Nigeria. The Fulcrum Analytics Blog warned when that video was released that the threat should be concerning to the international community. The fact that the threats from the July video appear to have come to fruition highlights the importance of monitoring terrorist communications for threat and risk detection and evaluation.
JNIM is one of the most destructive terrorist groups in Africa. The group released the below infographic through Az-Zallaqa showing the results of their attacks for the Islamic month of Rabi al-Akhir 1447 (24 September 2025 to 22 October 2025). The infographic shows that the group killed at least 187 people in at least 36 raids, 14 ambushes, 25 IED attacks and 2 mortar strikes.
JNIM is most active in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Its expansion into Nigeria is not surprising. On 8 October 2025, JNIM claimed responsibility for an attack on a Beninese army post on the border with Nigeria. Az-Zallaqa Media released an image of the weapons and equipment taken as a result of the attack:
It is a common tactic for terrorist groups to attack army posts in order to gain weapons and equipment. This tactic has the dual function of serving as propaganda that creates fear which can demoralise soldiers, while also giving the terrorists valuable access to large amounts of items that they can use in their subsequent operations. Seized items from attacks on army posts may include backpacks, phones, cash, laptops, weaponry, and army uniforms. The uniforms can be used as disguises and are ideal for living in the outdoors.
Kidnap-for-Ransom a Highly Lucrative Funding Mechanism
The October 2025 video from Nigeria comes at a time where the world's attention was briefly drawn to the group. Reuters reported on 31 October 2025 that, according to their sources, the UAE had agreed to pay a ransom of roughly $50 million to JNIM for the freedom of two UAE citizens who were kidnapped in Mali by "Al-Qaeda-linked militants". Sources told Reuters that an Iranian citizen had also been freed.
Recruitment Ongoing
JNIM continues to show its strength through the publication of high-quality imagery from its training bases.
Imagery from the Sheikh Abdul Hamid Abu Zeid training camp in Mali shows meticulous military drills and classroom lessons. The imagery shows that JNIM has access to a variety of weapons, uniforms and vehicles, among other equipment. The images highlight the scale of the group's operations and show that the group is organised and methodical. Some images were taken with a drone. The imagery from this camp is the most recent photo set of training activities by the group.
JNIM recently published imagery from its Dawah Tour in Timbuktu, Mali. Dawah is the act of inviting people to join Islam. The group can be seen preaching to groups of men dressed in civilian clothing. The fact that they can easily enter villages in the region in broad daylight is striking, if not unusual. JNIM fighters move around their areas of control with relative ease and comfort, a sign that they hold the power, and not the government. JNIM's recruitment drive in Timbuktu should be concerning to the international community.
Looking Forward
JNIM's actions are often overlooked by the international media, who appear to favour reporting on Gaza and Ukraine. African conflicts appear to only grab news headlines when the developed world is affected, such as when the UAE agreed on the ransom with JNIM or when an American citizen was kidnapped in Niamey, the capital of Niger. Increased international awareness of JNIM's ongoing Jihadist campaign to set up an Islamic Caliphate under strict Sharia rule in West Africa could be beneficial to the countries struggling against the War on Terror in the region.
JNIM's apparent expansion into Nigeria is a worrying sign, albeit unsurprising. Although the attack in Nigeria was small, it is still tragic that a person was killed by the group. One small attack is all the group needed to get a foothold in the country and while the size of the cell that carried out the attack is unclear, the group's expansion into new theatres of operation is concerning.
JNIM shows no signs of any setbacks and appears to be expanding through recruitment drives and training of new recruits. It remains unclear at this stage why there has been no official communication about the group's attack in Nigeria from Az-Zallaqa. Perhaps they knew that the video would grab attention and they did not see a need to further amplify it through a communication from Az-Zallaqa. Alternatively, it is possible that they did not want to draw too much attention to the fact that they appear to now be active in Nigeria, but then it is unclear why they would release a video at all. Their future communications could provide further insight.
The fight against JNIM goes beyond military intervention. As is the case in many other African countries facing Jihadist threats, the situation is exasperated by poor governance, regional tensions, internal tension, corruption, and other threats. Increased awareness of the Jihadist insurgencies in West Africa could lead to more aid going to impoverished communities, which could lessen the appeal of joining a group like JNIM, who offer money, social standing and a sense of belonging for people who feel left behind by their own government. Increased awareness in the international community could also lead to grassroots interventions for people who have been victim of a terrorist attack and/or who are exploited by terrorist groups. International pressure on the Juntas in the region could also have a positive impact if it leads to stabilising the political affairs of the country. The more stable a country is politically, the better chance it has to cooperate with the private sector and with regional partners to eliminate the threat from actors such as JNIM.
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