Boko Haram terrorists. Photo credit: @ ZagazOlaMakama
Fresh fighting has erupted between Boko Haram’s Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) faction and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) after the collapse of a fragile peace agreement, reigniting one of the region’s deadliest rivalries.
According to reports by security analyst Zagazola Makama, the long-standing feud between the Bakoura-led JAS faction and ISWAP has entered another violent phase, leaving dozens of ISWAP fighters dead in renewed confrontations around the Lake Chad Basin.
Sources disclosed that the latest wave of attacks stemmed from the killing of Abu Abass, a senior JAS tax collector, allegedly murdered by ISWAP members in September.
The incident reportedly enraged Bakoura’s loyalists, who vowed revenge and began launching counter-assaults on ISWAP-controlled areas.
One of the fiercest battles took place on Saturday, October 26, when fighters loyal to Mohammed Hassan, a senior commander under Bakoura’s faction, launched a coordinated offensive on an ISWAP base in Mangari, located in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
The operation, which began around 5 p.m. and lasted until 8 p.m., involved multiple boats crossing from Toumbun Gini toward Abujan Ruwa. The attackers reportedly overpowered ISWAP defenses, killing several fighters and seizing a cache of weapons and supplies.
Preliminary field reports suggest that JAS forces gained the upper hand during the confrontation, though the full casualty count remains uncertain due to the isolation of the region and the continued movement of both groups across the Lake Chad islands.
Sources further indicated that this resurgence in hostilities signals a total breakdown of the short-lived truce once observed between the rival terror factions.
Earlier, on October 8, Bakoura’s men had already struck ISWAP camps in Toumbun Mairi, inflicting heavy casualties. The Mangari assault appears to be part of an ongoing series of retaliatory attacks linked to those earlier operations.
> “The Bakoura-led faction has vowed to avenge the killing of its members and commanders,” one source told Zagazola. “They accuse ISWAP of betrayal after both sides had agreed to suspend hostilities.”
In response, ISWAP commanders are reportedly regrouping for counter-attacks, with orders issued to “eliminate all Boko Haram members” within their zones of influence.
The rivalry between JAS and ISWAP has historically been ruthless. Each side often retaliates swiftly after suffering losses, and these clashes sometimes spill into civilian territories—resulting in unintended casualties among residents who stray into contested areas.
Since the death of Abubakar Shekau in 2021, Boko Haram’s insurgency has splintered into multiple factions, each vying for dominance. The Lake Chad Basin—spanning Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon—remains a hotbed of extremist activity, with both groups fighting to control smuggling corridors, fishing hubs, and taxation points.
While the renewed infighting may weaken both groups’ operational strength, security experts warn it could also lead to increased attacks on civilian populations as each faction seeks to assert authority.
Meanwhile, Nigerian troops under Operation Hadin Kai have been placed on high alert. Military sources confirm ongoing clearance operations targeting terrorist hideouts, aimed at preventing infiltration and potential assaults on both military installations and nearby communities in the North-East.
