Over 200 Terrorists Killed as Boko Haram, ISWAP Clash in Fierce Turf War Near Lake Chad

More than 200 terrorists were reportedly killed on Sunday during violent clashes between Boko Haram and rival militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Dogon Chiku area, near the shores of Lake Chad a region notorious for militant activity spanning Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

The fierce battle, described as one of the deadliest turf wars between the two jihadist factions, erupted over control of key operational corridors used for smuggling, taxation of local traders, and movement across the Lake Chad basin.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the confrontation led to heavy casualties, with ISWAP reportedly losing more than 200 fighters. Several of the group’s boats used in the assault were also seized by Boko Haram forces.

“From the toll we got, around 200 ISWAP terrorists were killed in the fight,” said Babakura Kolo, a member of a vigilante group assisting the Nigerian military.
A Nigerian intelligence source also confirmed the fighting, describing it as “good news,” while putting the death toll at “more than 150.”

The latest violence underscores the ongoing struggle for dominance between Boko Haram and ISWAP two extremist groups that have been locked in brutal rivalry since ISWAP broke away from Boko Haram in 2016. Both factions continue to terrorize communities across the northeastern region of Nigeria and parts of the Sahel.

Once considered the stronger faction, ISWAP has suffered multiple setbacks in recent months. Analysts believe this latest confrontation signals Boko Haram’s renewed bid to reclaim strategic territories around Lake Chad.

In May 2021, ISWAP launched an offensive on Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram’s former stronghold, leading to the death of its notorious leader, Abubakar Shekau, who detonated an explosive vest to avoid capture.

Between December 2022 and January 2023, Boko Haram also carried out major raids on ISWAP bases in Borno State, killing more than 100 fighters and seizing large caches of weapons.

The Lake Chad Basin, once a vast inland sea, has shrunk by over 90% since the 1960s, according to the UN Environment Programme. As the waters recede, new land routes have opened up providing both groups with access points for movement and attacks.

Since the outbreak of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2009, more than 40,000 people have been killed and around 2 million displaced in Nigeria’s northeast, according to United Nations estimates.

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