Over 200 terrorists killed as Boko Haram and ISWAP factions battle for Lake Chad control

Over 200 terrorists are reportedly dead following fierce, multi-day clashes between the Boko Haram faction (Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad – JAS) and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Nigeria’s Lake Chad region.
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The fighting, which occurred between November 5 and 8, across key islands and riverine basins, was initiated by Boko Haram fighters who launched an early morning amphibious assault on ISWAP.
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The Lake Chad region has been the center of a long-running insurgency, causing the Nigerian military to struggle against both the ISWAP and Boko Haram factions. The rivalry intensified following the 2016 split between the two groups over ideological differences and leadership struggles.
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‎ISWAP, which had largely dominated the area since the 2021 death of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, is now facing a resurgence from the Boko Haram faction (JAS).
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The current escalation is rooted in the strategic and economic importance of the Lake Chad Basin. The area’s waterways and islands serve as crucial hubs for illicit activities, allowing the groups to finance their operations through the extortion of millions of naira from local populations involved in fishing and trade across the borders of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger.
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According to intelligence sources, Boko Haram, led by commanders Hassan Buduma and Mohd Hassan, aims to completely eliminate ISWAP from these strategic borders.
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Intelligence and militia sources confirmed the scale of the fighting across multiple strategic islands. According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, Boko Haram’s offensive attack forced the ISWAP fighters to abandon several camps.
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The high casualty rate has been partially confirmed by surveillance reports. Although, intelligence surveillance reportedly detected several bodies floating in the water and others buried in shallow sand pits, though the final number of dead remains unclear.
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