How ISWAP turned on Boko Haram, triggering Nigeria’s deadliest terror rivalry
Rivalry Between ISWAP and Boko Haram Continues to Fuel Conflict in Northeast Nigeria
The ongoing rivalry between the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), commonly known as Boko Haram, continues to significantly impact the insurgency landscape in northeastern Nigeria. Recent clashes, primarily over territory, leadership, and resources, have intensified the conflict.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama detailed this escalating tension in a recent report, noting that the roots of the conflict trace back to 2016. This was the year ISWAP separated from Boko Haram’s leadership under Abubakar Shekau due to disagreements over ideology and control.
Since the split, ISWAP and Boko Haram have engaged in persistent battles over control of strategic areas, recruitment channels, and taxation routes throughout the Lake Chad Basin and the Sambisa Forest. The competition escalated sharply in May 2021 when ISWAP launched a significant offensive that culminated in a confrontation with Shekau. Reports indicate that Shekau died by detonating an explosive device rather than surrendering to ISWAP fighters.
Makama’s report emphasized that this recent clash is part of an ongoing series of violent encounters between the two groups. Following Shekau’s death, ISWAP absorbed many of his followers, though several loyal JAS commanders opted to remain independent, continuing their operations in isolated areas of the Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains.
Recent intelligence has revealed that tensions have resurfaced over control of food supplies, taxation of local communities, transit routes, and the allegiance of remaining fighters. The struggle for dominance has prompted a spiral of internal violence, with casualties on both sides as they compete for diminishing territory amid intensified military pressure.
Makama observed that these renewed conflicts highlight the fierce competition instigated by sustained military offensives, which are pushing both factions to vie aggressively for limited resources and recruits in the region.
