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Tag: ISWAP

  • Troops recover 56 IEDs planted by ISWAP in Borno

    Troops recover 56 IEDs planted by ISWAP in Borno

    The Nigerian Army has confirmed the recovery of 56 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on the Marte–Dikwa bridge in Borno.

    The Army disclosed this on Friday via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, stating that the devices were recovered during a clearance operation by troops of 24 Brigade, Operation Hadin Kai, in the Dikwa general area.

    According to the Army, the IEDs were carefully concealed on the strategic bridge, allegedly with the aim of inflicting mass casualties and obstructing the movement of troops and civilians along the vital route.

    “The swift action by the vigilant troops averted what could have been a devastating attack on both military logistics and civilian commuters,” the statement read.

    The Army assured that the explosives have been safely detonated by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, and normal movement has resumed along the corridor.

    It added that troops have intensified clearance operations in the region to deny terrorists freedom of action and ensure the safety of lives and property.

  • Zulum hails troops for silencing top ISWAP chiefs

    Zulum hails troops for silencing top ISWAP chiefs

    Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has hailed troops of the Civilian Joint Taskforce ( CJTF ), hunters and vigilantes for killing an Islamic State of West Africa Province ( ISWAP) commander, Abu Fatima and two others in the state.

    Zulum made the commendation during his visit to some communities in the northern part of the state, especially Kukawa Local Government Area, over renewed insurgent attacks.

    He said his visit to military formations in Baga, Kukawa and Cross Kauwa to see the troops was to motivate them.

    The governor said, “ As part of my assessment tour to local government areas, I decided to move to some of the local government areas in the northern part of the State, especially Kukawa.

    “I am here to see the troops of the armed forces, the CJTF, hunters and vigilantes to motivate them and see how we can solve their problems. Recently, troops have done very well. You can remember that one of the senior ISWAP members and his two fighters were killed.

    ‘’Although recently, we lost some of our men, the troops have done very well. We were there to commiserate with them and, most importantly, to strengthen their resilience. We have listened to them. I went to Kukawa, Baga and Cross Kauwa.”

  • ISWAP takes responsibility for Borno bombing as death toll rises to 26

    ISWAP takes responsibility for Borno bombing as death toll rises to 26

    The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for a deadly bomb attack near Rann, located in Kala-Balge Local Government Area of Borno State, which has now claimed 26 lives.

    The attack occurred around 11 a.m. on Friday along the Furunduma axis, where an improvised explosive device (IED) went off, initially killing 17 people. Among the deceased were four women, six children, and seven other passengers, according to eyewitnesses and security personnel.

    By Monday, more bodies were recovered from the surrounding bushland, pushing the total number of confirmed deaths to 26. A security source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that some of the victims were so badly burned they could not be identified.

    “As of the latest count, the death toll stands at 26, including the earlier reported women and children,” the source confirmed.

    ISWAP officially claimed responsibility for the attack in a Telegram statement posted on Tuesday, confirming the casualty figure.

    In a separate but related incident, two Nigerian soldiers were killed by a suspected landmine planted by insurgents along the Maiduguri-Damboa Road. Sources told Daily Trust that the explosion occurred near Nyeliri, a deserted village in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

    The District Head of Damboa, Alhaji Lawan Maina, confirmed the loss of the two soldiers.

    Attempts by Daily Trust to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of Borno State Command, ASP Kenneth Daso, for comment were unsuccessful by as he did not respond to phone calls or text messages.

     

     

  • Troops foil ISWAP insurgents’ attack, recover weapons in Borno

    Troops foil ISWAP insurgents’ attack, recover weapons in Borno

    Troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Operation Hadin Kai, Sector 3, have foiled an attempted attack by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists along Magumeri – Maiduguri axis, in Borno.

    The troops also recovered catche of ammunitions from the insurgents in a tactical operation in the area.

    Lt.-Col. Olaniyi Osaba, Chief Military Information Officer, MNJTF, N’djamena, Chad, said this in a statement on Sunday in Maiduguri.

    He said the troops executed a tactical ambush, neutralising the threat before the terrorists could wreak havoc on innocent civilians.

    Osaba said the troops positioned themselves tactically along the terrorists’ path of movement, and engaged them as they emerged from a forested area on motorcycles.

    “On sighting the troops, the terrorists attempted to flee but were met with a heavy barrage of gunfire.

    “This decisive engagement forced them to abandon their weapons and motorcycles, disrupting their plan to unleash violence in the region,” he said.

    He listed the weapons recovered to include two AK-47 Rifles, 51 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, two magazines, 61 rounds of 7.62 NATO ammunition, parcels of marijuana, Tramadol, among others.

  • We’re behind Yobe massacre of 37 villagers-ISWAP boldly claims responsibility

    We’re behind Yobe massacre of 37 villagers-ISWAP boldly claims responsibility

    The Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) has boldly claimed responsibility for the attack that led the killing of 34 villagers in Yobe State.

    This was contained in a letter written in Arabic and released by the insurgents, the insurgent group claimed responsibility for the attack.

    It said the village was attacked for allegedly providing information to the military, which led to the killing of its members.

    “This is a message from the soldiers of the Caliphate in the West Africa Province to the leaders, mukhtars, and the rest of the residents and farmers in the town of Mafa and the villages around it.”

    “You have been tempted to remain in your countries in safety. The soldiers of the Caliphate will not harm you, nor threaten you with your money, nor hinder you from any activity of yours, whether agriculture, trade, etc., until you have arrogantly raised yourselves to a position in which you believe that your hands will reach our brothers with harm and remain uninterrupted.

    “You have harmed our brothers in the past days in the town of (Bangaro) and its environs, and you cooperated and sympathized with the apostates in killing our brothers, and when we arrived in the area, we did not harm you.

    “Rather, we limited ourselves to those whose hands were stained with the blood of our brothers, and who were attacked by their weapons, according to the information we found. We thought that by doing so we had warned you with the language of war, hoping that you would be deterred.

    “However, this increased your arrogance and arrogance, so you repeated the same crime in the month of Safar.”

  • INSURGENCY! “Vacate your ancestral homes or die”, ISWAP threatens Borno communities

    INSURGENCY! “Vacate your ancestral homes or die”, ISWAP threatens Borno communities

    Four days after killing fifteen fishermen in the Tumbun Rogo community, the Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have given residents of Kukawa LGA notice to quit their communities or face death from the terror group.

    A resident who fled his community to Maiduguri three hours after receiving the threat, revealed Thursday night.

    While relieving his experience, the resident who begged anonymity, explained that the terrorists had gathered residents of various communities in the lga in the early hours of Thursday, and told them to vacate their homes before Saturday, or else they would be killed.

    According to him, immediately after they received the threat from the terrorists, communities started vacating their communities, some to Kross Kauwa while others left for Monguno.

    Kukawa LGA is a local government at Lake Chad that is popular for fishing, farming and other agricultural value chain activities. it is surrounded by Lake Chad and has the presence of troops of the Nigerian Army and the Navy.

    Although displaced by the insurgents during the insurgency, some communities like Kross Kauwa, Baga, Doron-Baga, Kukawa community, Tumbun Rogo were resettled back by the Professor Babagana Zulum administration.

    Despite the restoration of relative peace and stability to the area, Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have continued to attack the communities, due to the socioeconomic value of the area to the terrorists, who exploit the fishing and farming activities of the place for their survival and financial support.

  • ISWAP set to launch radio station to be known as Radio Raeed

    ISWAP set to launch radio station to be known as Radio Raeed

    Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), has reportedly perfected plans to launch an online radio broadcast station titled “Radio Raeed” to its range of propaganda channels.

    A counterinsurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, Zagazola Makama made the disclosure via his social media account, saying the move is likely aimed at targeting more people in the North East to join its ranks.

    According to him,  the Radio Service, which will be located in Kangarwa, will be a supporter of Islamic State, with weekly news propaganda summary to be broadcast in Hausa, Arabic and Kanuri.

    In a post on his X handle on Sunday, Makama said the development sends strong signals to authorities in the sub-region that the insurgency has continued to be dynamic in adopting various means of propaganda.

    “The recruitment pace of the insurgency has still not been effectively halted and online media propaganda by the terror group has continued to play a key role in ensuring that the terrorist groups remain visible.

    “This is effectively drawn by intense propaganda moves in making effort to draw significant attention to the organization’s sustained presence and reach. The attendant effect, continues to imply recycling of fighters as the backbone of ISIS recruitment campaign, support to affiliated groups and directives for full fledged attacks.

    “It becomes necessary to sustain effort in INFO OPs as well to bring down and disconnect associated notorious terrorist websites to bolster the network of affiliated group members,” he wrote on X.

     

  • 60 fighters reportedly killed in Boko Haram, ISWAP renewed rivalry in Borno

    60 fighters reportedly killed in Boko Haram, ISWAP renewed rivalry in Borno

    At least 60 Boko Haram fighters and rival group, the  Islamic State of West African Province, (ISWAP) have been reportedly killed in a fresh infighting in Borno State, a fresh report has shown.

    The report about the renewed rivalry was disclosed on Saturday by a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, Zagazola Makama in a post on his social media platform X.

    Makama said casualties on both sides could be more than 60 as the infighting continued.

    According to him,  a heavy fight broke out between the two groups at Tumbum Ali Island in Marte LGA at about 1400hours, with the commanders of the warring groups killed.

    He stated that the attack was in retaliation of the massive killing of ISWAP fighters by the Buduma factions that had seized most of their hideouts.

    He wrote, “Scores of fighters from the Jam’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihd, Boko Haram, and the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, terrorists, including their commanders were killed during an infighting in the North East of Borno State.

    “Reports indicated that a heavy fight broke out between the two groups at Tumbum Ali Island in Marte LGA at about 1400hours.

    “Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama, a Counter-Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region that 6 boats belonging to the Bakura Buduma faction and four JAS elements boats, all full with fighters were destroyed.

    “The sources said the casualties on both sides could be more than 60 as the infighting continued.”

  • Notorious ISWAP commander killed by snake in Sambisa forest

    Notorious ISWAP commander killed by snake in Sambisa forest

    A notorious Commander of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), popularly known as Kiriku, has reportedly died from the bite of a venomous snake in Sambisa Forest.

    The deceased was said to have died three days after the incident in Borno State.

    It was learnt that Kiriku sustained two snake bites from the ‘highly venomous’ brown snake in one of their hideouts in Agikur Mosque in Damboa Local Government Area last Tuesday and died on June 23, 2023.

    Sources said the notorious ISWAP Commander must have died due to lack of access to medical treatment.

    Kiriku is believed to be one of the Commanders who operate within the Jiddari axis of Chiralia in the Timbuktu triangle.

  • Zulum condemns killing of farmers by ISWAP insurgents in Borno

    Zulum condemns killing of farmers by ISWAP insurgents in Borno

    Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum has expressed shock and sadness over the killing of eight farmers in Mafa Local Government Area of the State by the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the killing occurred in Shuwarin, Tomsu Ngamdu, Baram Karauwa and Muna on Thursday at about 1 pm while the farmers were working on their farms.

    Zulum, who visited Mafa, described the attack as unfortunate.

    He said the state government would partner with security agencies to deploy more soldiers to secure farmlands.

    “The state government will immediately convene a Security Council meeting to come up with ways of ensuring adequate security for farmers.

    “The government will also inaugurate the Agro Rangers team, comprising the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Army, the Civilian Joint Task Force and hunters to protect farmers,” he said.

    He said that food insecurity was a worse crisis than Boko Haram, noting that the government would do everything to ensure that the people have access to their farmlands.

    Earlier, a witness, Yarima Goni, told Zulum that ISWAP terrorists who rode on motorcycles attacked farmlands with AK-47 rifles.

    Another witness, Malam Bukar Grema, told the governor that three victims of the attack were buried in the Shuwarin community.

    “Most of the victims had their hands tied behind them.

    “We recovered their bodies at about 8:30 am on Friday and prayer was held for them at about 10:00 am,” he said.

    Shereef Goni, another witness, said five more victims were recovered in Tomsu Ngamdu, adding that a 15-year-old boy was spared by the insurgents.

    Goni added that ten other victims were kidnapped by the terrorists during the attack.