Turf War We Don’t Want Join: Boko Haram And ISWAP Clash For Lake Chad

Lake Chad, Nigeria – Wetin dey happen for Lake Chad area as Boko Haram and dem rival ISWAP no fit settle their beef? Just last Sunday, clash don burst for Dogon Chiku, na village wey dey near di shores of di lake, and e don result into one serious wahala. Reports show say around 200 of dem terrorists don join di ancestors (no be small matter o!).

Dis fight na latest drama for di ongoing saga between di two jihadists wey no wan gree make peace. ISWAP and Boko Haram don dey run different rounds since wey ISWAP take break away from Boko Haram back in 2016. Di village of Dogon Chiku no dey safe again as boko no wan let dem get peace—they dey fight for territory, money, and control all di fish wey dey for di lake. (Naim fish dey come, and na dem dey tax fishers, loggers, and herders. Money no go carry itself, abeg!)

Babakura Kolo, wey be member of vigilante group wey dey work with Nigerian military, yarn say di figure wey dem get show say about 200 ISWAP fighters don kpai for di fight. And na nothin wey dey sweet pass for dem vigilantes, because more losses for ISWAP mean less stress for dem—(no be wetin dem dey wish for?!)

Nigerian intelligence source also drop gist say di casualty no be small at all, dey talk say e reach over 150. As water for Lake Chad dey reduce since di 1960s (90% loss wey UN talk), more land dey available for dem to flex dem muscles. Di area don turn into hot zone wey jihadists dey use do business like dem be big boys.

ISWAP, wey originally be Boko Haram branch join with IS (na dem dey argue who get more muscle), be look dem to be di stronger faction based on resources, but di clash for Sunday na evidence say Boko Haram still get fight for di Lake Chad area. Dis one fit serve as di deadliest clash between dem two since dem start dis round. Na wah!

You sef remember May 2021? ISWAP try to take over Sambisa, wey be Boko Haram’s former headquarters, and where dem dey hold dem schoolgirls wey dem gree kidnap. Rumor talk say Abubakar Shekau, di notorious Boko Haram leader, even kill himself when e face ISWAP for fight—talk about drama! (Na movie dis one go make, abeg!)

From December 2022 to January 2023, Boko Haram don also launch serious raids on ISWAP bases wey dey Borno state, and dem don kill plenty ISWAP fighters. Ndi Guardian Nigeria and Punch report say dem dey carry plenty weapons as spoils of war. Dis case wey start since di killing of Mohammed Yusuf for 2009 don cause scatter, with over 40,000 lives lost and 2 million displaced from di northern part of Nigeria. Unbelievable! Yet we still dey carry palm wine dey gist.