Scores die in ISWAP, Boko Haram clash

No fewer than 25 Commanders and a Chief Judge of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram have been killed during a leadership tussle among the terrorists at Lake Chad region and Sambisa Forest.

The terrorists’ groups launch their attacks on communities of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states from the Sambisa Forest and Lake Chad region.

Despite the recent emergence of the first leader of ISWAP, Abu Musab Albarnawi, two sons of the founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, was slain in the leadership crisis over control of the region and forest.

An expert in counter-terrorism, David Otto Endeley, in a series of tweets in Maiduguri yesterday said, “The first leader of ISWAP, Albarnawi, two sons of Yusuf and another of his son were still in charge.”

He disclosed that Boko Haram and ISWAP have appointed a new leader, Amir Abba Gana, following the assassination of Ba’a Idirisa in February last year, noting that Idirisa replaced his brother, Albarnawi, who was also a son of the late Yusuf.

According to him, Idirisa, son of Yusuf was assassinated along with three other commanders, adding that the killings were caused by commanders’ attempt to surrender and renounce the terrorist groups that have been prosecuting a form of jihad in North East.

In his tweet, he said, “About 25 five high profile Boko Haram Terrorist Commanders were killed within the past two months. The neutralisation of the commanders followed intensified military aerial bombardments of ISWAP and Boko Haram camps in the Lake Chad region. The surviving commanders and other terrorists had fled to Chad, Niger, and Cameroon.

“The death of Boko Haram commanders was caused by Undetonated Improvised Explosive Devices (UIEDs) used by ISWAP as traps to fortify their camps against military incursions in the Chad Basin.”

The Chad Basin areas in Borno State are, Kukawa, Baga, Monguno, Guzamala, Mallam Fatori, Abadam, Gashigar communities and the terrorists’ camps on the shores of Lake Chad.

With the terrorists’ ongoing leadership tussle, the Tumbus ISWAP are now left in the hands of local inhabitants, who have been living with insurgents, while they carry out their terrorists’ activities.

Before the leadership tussle, the abandoned Tumbus residents were forcibly recruited or abducted from Mobbar, Abadam, Guzamala, Kukawa and Marte councils of Borno.

However, a member of Civilian JTF told The Guardian that a few residents of Budumas had to stay back and hold ground in anticipation of leadership control of the region, adding that the crisis has led to significant changes in the Boko Haram and ISWAP leadership, and control of the region and forest for terrorists’ activities.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army said that anyone new recruit into the system would now undergo special and tough training after undergoing normal recruitment training.

Director in charge of Army Recruitment, Resettlement and Reserve Ministry of Defence Abuja Brig.-Gen. Henry Akpan stated this when he and members of his team visited Governor Dave Umahi at Old Government House, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

He noted that several now confront the military in conventional warfare in the country particularly in North East that has been under terrorist attacks.

Akpan disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has strategised on how to tackle the problems by ensuring that anyone recruited into the system from now onwards undergoes special and tough training after undergoing the normal recruitment training.