10 ISWAP fighters who fled, clerics surrendered to the Niger military
Bandits have reportedly killed a community leader, Ibrahim Abdullahi, and his nephew. They also kidnapped four women in Unguwar Mai Awo village, Igabi Local Council of Kaduna State.
Abdullahi, a member of Fityanul Islam First Aid Group, about Igabi died together with his nephew, yesterday, at his home. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Muhammad Jalige, could not be reached by phone to confirm the development.
But a resident, Nasir Idris, said the bandits attacked the community at about 3.30am, killed the community leader and his nephew before moving to another location in the community and abducting four women, including a nursing mother.
He said the bandits shot sporadically to terrorize the residents, when they arrived in the community, adding that two other residents were injured, but were taken to hospital for medical treatment.
“The bandits killed Ibrahim Abdullahi, who is the leader of the community and the Chairman of Fityanul Islam First Aid Group in the area, and his nephew, Zakari Yau. Four women, including a nursing mother, were also kidnapped by bandits from the community,” he said.
Meanwhile, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists who fled Kayowa and Toumbun Gini in the Lake Chad region have surrendered to Nigerien authorities in Tumour.
The 10 fighters who surrendered include clerics, after Boko Haram captured the ISWAP base in December. A counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, announced yesterday, in Maiduguri: “The fugitive ISWAP terrorists and clerics surrendered to the Nigerian authorities on January 10, 2023.”
According to him, the surrender had nothing to do with the fear of being eliminated, following the ongoing rivalry between the two terror groups. He added that an attack on the ISWAP base by Boko Haram led to the death of fighters in December.
A military source in Maiduguri also confirmed that continuous attacks by Boko Haram led by Abu Umaimah on ISWAP’s strategic base in four camps forced Abu Moussab al-Barnawi and other commanders to flee and surrender in Niger Republic.
“The ongoing rivalry between Boko Haram and ISWAP seems to have no end,” the source said, adding that several attempts by the terror group to join forces with the Nigerian military and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) appear unlikely. Makama explained that against this background, ISWAP fighters are eager to support mercenaries from Mali, Burkina Faso and Somalia.