The Nigerian government has repeatedly claimed victory over Boko Haram, and confined it to the north-east alone, but recent revelations by some state governors give cause for worry.

Following the attack in Bauchi State, the Jigawa State government has urged residents of the state to be vigilant, following reports of suspicious movement of Boko Haram insurgents in the neighbouring state.

Most of these states such as Nasarawa, Benue, and Niger do not share boundaries with the north-east states.

While the former army chief Tukur Buratai claimed that the Boko Haram militants were defeated, the military is now fighting a splinter militant group, the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP). ISWAP, which split from the mainstream Boko Haram in 2016, has become a dominant group, focusing on military targets and high-profile attacks, including attacks against aid workers.

The Boko Haram insurgency has killed approximately 36,000 people and displaced about two million people in Nigeria since 2009.