Dozens killed as Boko Haram, ISWAP clash in Borno border community

Dozens killed as Boko Haram, ISWAP clash in Borno border community

A fierce battle between rival insurgent groups — Boko Haram’s Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunna lid-Da‘wa wa’l-Jihād (JAS) faction and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) — has reportedly left dozens of fighters dead in Toumbun Gini, an island settlement in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State.

Security sources said the confrontation occurred around 3 p.m. on Sunday after ISWAP launched a coordinated offensive to reclaim the island, which had been under the control of the Boko Haram faction.

Abadam, located in northern Borno and sharing a border with Niger Republic, has long served as a hotspot for insurgent activity due to its proximity to the Lake Chad basin.

According to reports, intelligence about the planned attack leaked to the JAS faction ahead of time, enabling its fighters to set up a counter-ambush.

“The first shots were decisive. JAS fighters overpowered them within minutes. ISWAP was routed,” a military intelligence source told reporters.

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More than 50 ISWAP fighters were said to have been killed in the clash, while several of their boats were seized. The remaining insurgents reportedly fled the scene with casualties.

Video clips claiming to show the aftermath of the battle have since circulated on social media, though security agencies are yet to authenticate the footage.

Observers described the encounter as part of the persistent turf war between the two extremist factions for dominance over the Lake Chad islands and surrounding territories.

Analysts note that while the internal conflict has weakened the insurgents’ ability to carry out large-scale attacks, it has also splintered them into smaller, unpredictable cells, posing new threats to civilian communities in the region.

Security experts said the infighting offers an opportunity for Nigerian forces to intensify operations and deny both groups the space to regroup.

“If properly leveraged, this conflict could help security agencies tighten control over the Lake Chad axis,” one analyst noted.

As of press time, the Nigerian military had not issued an official statement on the reported clash.

Dozens killed as Boko Haram, ISWAP clash in Borno border community