The death toll among Boko Haram members has risen to 300 as a result of the Islamic State of West Africa fighters’ (ISWAP) weeklong reprisal attacks in Borno State, North East Nigeria.
This comes as 443 more Boko Haram terrorists and family members who escaped ISWAP’s massive attacks surrendered to troops.
Sources disclosed that as a result of the attacks, a total of 223 of the Boko Haram elements surrendered to the troops of Sector Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Diffa and Gueskerou in the Republic of Niger between 7 to 10th March 2023.
“Another 220 members Boko Haram surrendered to the troops of Operations Hadin Kai on March 10. They revealed that the ongoing rivalry between both factions had forced the need for them to escape to safer areas”.
Counter Insurgency Expert with knowledge of the activities of both groups in the Lake Chad, Zagazola Makama said, “Since February 27, 2023, Boko Haram had been fleeing their enclaves amidst deadly attacks targeted at the groups in Gaizuwa, otherwise known as Mantari, Gabchari, Kashimiri, Maimusari in Bama, Yale in Konduga and Magumeri, by their former allies now turned bitter adversary.
“In one of the attacks led by three notorious ISWAP Commanders, comprising Mallam Abubakar Maina, Qaed Malam Dahiru, Qaed Mallam Dahiru in Guzamala, over 200 Boko Haram militant jihadists, including their women and children were eliminated.
“The onslaught against the group continued on the 8th March 2023, when more than 100 of them were killed in the fringes of Baga, Marte and Dikwa. This time, the terrorists targeted only the men, sparing their families.
He added that the Government of the Republic of Niger through its Public Relations Information Directorate, had disclosed that the week was marked by displacement of several groups of families of terrorists leaving the Sambisa forest for Lake Chad on the Niger side.
Recall that the Director, Defence Media Operations of Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami, placed the number of surrendered Boko Haram members within the last two weeks at 1,332.
This figures has substantially increased following the number of those surrendering.
Security and counter insurgency observers are watching to see how the deadly rivalry between Boko Haram and their erstwhile partners in battle, ISWAP, will shape the dynamics of the more than a decade-long bloody insurgency in the Lake Chad region.