The Nigerian government has repeatedly boasted that it has defeated Boko Haram, the Party of the People of the Sunnah for Dawah and Jihad, or was just about to do so. It vowed to defeat Boko Haram by the end of 2014. And by the end of 2015. In mid-2017 it called the movement a spent force. In February 2018, it again claimed that the jihadis were defeated. They weren’t, and aren’t.

“Boko Haram Kills 12 More Soldiers in Gudumbali, Nigeria,” International Christian Concern, December 17, 2018:

12/17/2018 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) – 12 soldiers were killed yesterday in Northeast Nigeria, during another attack by Boko Haram. Several Dozen others are still missing. This is just another in a recent series of attacks, specifically on Gudumbali in Borno State. Boko Haram has been increasing their attacks on military and governmental targets in what seems to be an attempt to gain back ground. It is believed that these attacks are being conducted by the ISIS backed sect of boko Haram, also known as the Islamic State West African Province(ISWAP).

At a meeting with delegates from Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, President Muhammadu buhari [sic] of Nigeria, said that this is a must win war and a fight to the finish. This is the first time in the past several years that Buhari has admitted that the war is not over. His constant refrain in months past has been that Boko Haram is technically and tactically defeated. Hopefully, with this new understanding of the situation, and a coalition of forces to fight the menace, Boko Haram may finally be beaten….