Latest news with #insecurity
The Independent
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Boko Haram's resurgence: Why Nigeria's military is struggling to hold the line
A resurgence of Boko Haram attacks is shaking Nigeria's northeast, as Islamic extremists have repeatedly overrun military outposts, mined roads with bombs, and raided civilian communities since the start of the year, raising fears of a possible return to peak Boko Haram-era insecurity despite the military's claims of successes. Boko Haram, Nigeria's homegrown jihadis, took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law. The conflict, now Africa's longest struggle with militancy, has spilled into Nigeria's northern neighbors, resulted in the death of around 35,000 civilians and the displacement of more than 2 million others, according to the United Nations. In the latest attack late last week in the village of Gajibo in Borno state, the epicenter of the crisis, the extremists killed nine members of a local militia that supports the Nigerian military, after soldiers deserted the base when becoming aware of the insurgents' advance, according to the group's claim and local aid workers. That is in addition to roadside bombs and deadly attacks on villages in recent months. Two factions Boko Haram has since broken into two factions. One of the them is backed by the Islamic State group and is known as the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP. It has become notorious for targeting military positions and has overrun the military on at least 15 occasions this year, killing soldiers and stealing weapons, according to an Associated Press count, experts and security reports reviewed for this story. On the other hand, the Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, or JAS, faction has increasingly resorted to attacking civilians and perceived collaborators, and thrives on robberies and abductions for ransom. In May, ISWAP struck outposts in Gajibo, Buni Gari, Marte, Izge, Rann, and launched a twin assault on the Nigeria- Cameroon joint base in Wulgo and Soueram in Cameroon. Other attacks this year have hit Malam Fatori, Goniri, Sabon Gari, Wajiroko and Monguno, among others. The group often attacks at night. Expansion and decentralization Malik Samuel, senior researcher at non-profit Good Governance Africa, said that ISWAP's success is as a result of its territorial expansion following gains against rival JAS as well as a decentralized structure that has enhanced its ability to conduct "coordinated, near-simultaneous attacks across different regions,' Samuel said. 'The unpredictability of attacks under this framework illustrates ISWAP's growing strategic sophistication,' Samuel said. External support from IS in Iraq and Syria is also a critical resource to the militants, said Samuel, who has interviewed ex-fighters. Such support is evident in ISWAP's evolving tactics, including nighttime raids, rapid assaults with light but effective weaponry, and the use of modified commercial drones to drop explosives, Samuel said. Outgunned and outnumbered military Ali Abani, a local nonprofit worker familiar with the military operations in Borno's strategic town of Dikwa, said that the army bases are understaffed and located in remote areas, making them vulnerable to attacks. "When these gunmen come, they just overpower the soldiers,' Abani said. Reinforcements, either in the form of air support or nearby ground troops, are often too slow to arrive, allowing the militants enough time to strip the outposts of weapons needed to bolster their arsenal, he added, recalling a May 12 attack during which soldiers fled as they were outnumbered, leaving the extremists to cart away weaponry. There also have been reports of former militants who continued to work as informants and logistics handlers after claiming to have repented. Nigeria losing ground 'almost on a daily basis' At its peak in 2013 and 2014, Boko Haram gained global notoriety after kidnapping 276 Chibok schoolgirls and controlled an area the size of Belgium. While it has lost much of that territory on the back of military campaigns, the new surge in Boko Haram attacks has raised fears about a possible return to such a gloomy past. Borno Gov. Babagana Zulum warned recently of lost gains after raising concerns that military formations in the state are being dislodged 'almost on a daily basis without confrontation.' Federal lawmakers continue to highlight the extremists' growing sophistication and advanced weaponry, calling on the government to bolster the capabilities of the military. The Nigerian military didn't respond to a request for comment. Last Friday, senior commanders visited one of the troubled areas, Gamboru on the border with Cameroon, promising the deployment of more troops to combat Boko Haram.
Independent Singapore
26-05-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
'Should I break up?' — Woman upset that her boyfriend keeps 'liking and following random girls on Instagram' because 'they're pretty'
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean woman recently took to Reddit to ask if she should break up and move on from her boyfriend of two years, who continues to 'like and follow random girls' on Instagram despite knowing how much it hurts her. According to her post on the r/SGexams subreddit, they've had multiple arguments about the issue. Each time she opens up about how his actions affect her self-esteem and make her feel insecure in the relationship, he dismisses her feelings and accuses her of being 'immature' or 'overreacting.' She also noticed that the girls he follows look nothing like her. Over time, she said, this has made her wonder if she's even his type anymore. On top of that, he's stopped giving her compliments and barely makes her feel appreciated these days. 'I am so tired of feeling so unhappy, so insecure, and always having to have my guard up when any pretty girl walks by. This is not how I should be feeling if I am in a healthy relationship, right?' What makes it worse is that her friends have noticed his Instagram activity too. She admitted feeling 'embarrassed' by it and said it's starting to feel like he's behaving more like someone single than someone in a committed relationship. She confessed, 'It makes me feel like he doesn't respect me as his girlfriend, and he thinks liking or following random girls is more important than my feelings. '[He would say] it's my own fault I feel insecure.' Looking for advice, she turned to the community and asked, 'Is it time for me to move on since our values don't match? It's so difficult to end things when we share so many beautiful memories together. But my only choices now are to continue seeing him do it and feeling bad, or a break up.' 'He won't respect you in the future either, so you have to move on…' In the comment section, many Singaporean Redditors strongly encouraged the woman to walk away from the relationship, emphasising that she deserves better. See also Co-dependent relationship warning signs! One Redditor wrote that she should move on because her boyfriend clearly doesn't respect her, adding, 'He will gaslight you, saying it's no big deal – that you are overreacting. But you are not. You are communicating your thoughts, feelings, and needs, and he is not respecting you – he won't respect you in the future either, so you have to move on,' they said. Another Redditor shared her own experience, saying that she had gone through something similar with an ex-boyfriend. 'I was in this exact situation with my ex. He still didn't stop even after we broke up. Just leave him; if he wanted to, he would. His actions just show that he doesn't care about you, probably lost interest in you.' Meanwhile, a third warned her not to let nostalgia cloud her judgment. 'Don't let the so-called beautiful memories stop you from making an important decision for your future. If he truly respected or loved you, he wouldn't keep doing something that makes you feel this way. Let him go.' In other news, a diner claimed on social media that he was charged for a pricier chicken rice set meal even though he never requested it, and was later blamed by the stall staff for not being clear with his order. In a post shared on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Saturday (May 24), the diner said the incident occurred at a chicken rice stall in a local kopitiam where he had been a regular for the past two years. He wrote, 'I simply said 白鸡饭 打包 (white-skinned chicken rice takeaway). The menu says it's $4.30. He then charged me $5.30, and I asked why.' In response, the staff told him, 'You didn't say normal or set, so I made the set.'' Read more: Diner got charged $5.30 for chicken rice instead of $4.30 for not being 'clear' with his order Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
These are the most common insecurities fueling your dating app obsession
Are you constantly swiping? This may be why. Dating apps have become the go-to platform for people looking for love — but for some, it's fueling insecurities and enabling bad habits. A new study, published in Computers in Human Behavior, revealed the common insecurities that could be fueling your dating app obsession. People who are insecure about their looks, anxious about being in social settings and constantly think they're being rejected are more likely to use dating apps in a problematic way. The research, conducted with over 5,400 young adults aged 18 to 35 in Taiwan, aimed to understand how certain psychological traits influence the way individuals interact with dating apps. With millions of users worldwide, these platforms are more than just a casual means to meet new people—they're increasingly shaping the way young people present themselves and form relationships. But, as this study suggests, there's a dark side to hiding behind a screen. Researchers found that individuals who experienced high levels of anxiety — specifically about their appearance, social settings and rejection — tended to view dating apps as a helpful tool for self-presentation and relationship-building. Because these users are often uncomfortable with face-to-face interactions and worried about their appearance, they are drawn to the relative safety and control of their dating app profile. Dating apps allow them to curate their image and engage with others in a way that feels less intimidating. Many participants in the study said that these apps made it easier to form connections — especially those with higher levels of anxiety. While these perceived benefits may sound positive, they come with unexpected dangers. Singles with higher levels of anxiety were also more likely to have problematic habits when using dating apps — like compulsively checking their messages, constantly re-evaluating their profiles, or excessively focusing on potential rejections. These people were also more likely to report feelings of frustration or distress when their interactions on dating apps didn't go as planned. In the worst cases, these users could develop unhealthy relationships with the apps, using them to avoid real-world social interactions, which would in turn deepen their fear of rejection. Overall, anxious individuals do seem to benefit from the ability to manage their image and relationships digitally, making social connections easier. However, their vulnerabilities — especially rejection sensitivity— can lead to excessive reliance on these platforms, which may ultimately harm their mental health, well-being and ability to connect IRL. Young adulthood is a critical period for developing social skills and emotional resilience, making Gen Z and millennials particularly susceptible to the consequences of using dating apps in a problematic way.
