Breaking Terrorism: ISWAP Kills Boko Haram Commanders, Appoint New Leader

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The Islamic state of West Africa Province, ISWAP has named a new leader for the group.

His name is Abba Gana, according to The Cable.

The appointment came of the crest of death of at least 30 commanders of ISWAP and Boko Haram commanders in the last few days.

The Nigerian armed forces have stepped up sporadic onslaught against the sect after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a crack-down.

This has left a huge vacuum in the groups’ leadership, sources told the magazine.

Meanwhile, the most serious problem now facing the armed insurgents, sources informed the magazine, is the crack among its core leadership following the killing of one Ba’a Idirisa, son of late Muhammed Yusuf, founder of Boko Haram.

Idrisa joined the mainstream of the sect, led by Abubakar Shekau after his father was killed by Nigerian security agencies in 2009, and has risen from the ranks to become one of the most powerful Boko Haram commanders.

He was however killed few days ago by rival extremist group within the ISWAP following leadership tussle that broke out among two major factions that has now polarized further the deadly terrorist group.

More than five other commanders were also believed to have been killed at the same time.

Sources told the magazine that ISWAP has driven moderate fighters in boko haram underground since it took over the sect, following ISIS defeat by US and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria.

“A remnant of moderate boko haram fighters have been eliminated in the last two years by the new leadership from ISWAP which consider them too soft for the jihad,” a humanitarian worker with the UN told the magazine.

According to the aid worker, many fighters “disagree with the manner kidnapped victims have been slaughtered by cutting of head, as well as the bloody killing of children and women. This is what is causing problems among the leaders.”

She explained that many fighters have also been killed over suspicion that they compromised operations against the Nigerian forces.

“They monitor their communication with human rights groups working in the region. The belief is that, the fighters are careless with sensitive information about the sect which has led to many operations being compromised,” the source said.

The source added that ISWAP has blamed the more moderate fighters for the casualties the group has suffered in the last few weeks from Nigerian and coalition West African forces.

For instance, many insurgents were eliminated on Tuesday when the Nigerian Airforce bombed a major camp in the Sambisa forest.

Nigerian Defence authorities later said it launched the air raid following intelligence that the group was planning a deadly operation in the north east.

Other sources told the magazine that many fighters have now fled into the neighboring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon as a result of serious heavy bombardment by Nigerian forces.

Meanwhile, some analysts told the magazine that the infighting within the contending groups will lead to more uncoordinated bloody attacks across the north east as each try to assert themselves.