No fewer than 55 people including wives of the fighters of Boko Haram and their rival group, Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), have been killed in a week-long multiple clashes in Borno State, sources said.
Our correspondent gathered that clashes started last week in one of the camps at Mutakinti general area in Bama Local Government Area of the state, where about 11 fighters loyal to (JAS) Boko Haram lost their lives in the encounter.
An impeccable source, who has the knowledge of the incident, confirmed that that an in-fighting at Dollar land in Sambisa forests last Saturday also claimed dozens including fighters and women.
The source added that ISWAP fighters outnumbered and overpowered JAS and 11 fighters died in a gun battle at Mantari general area.
Our correspondent learnt that the clashes took place in Dollar Land, Mantari, Mutakinti general areas all in Bama LGA and Bayan Dushai in Gwoza council respectively.
While corroborating the accounts, Zagazola Makama, a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad, claimed fighters in Sambisa wanted to avenge the killing of their Commander, Malam Aboubakar (Munzir) and 15 other fighters who were neutralized in a deadly infighting.
Makama added that since December 3, a top Boko Haram leader in charge of Mandara Moutain, Ali Ngulde, had led hundreds of fighters armed with weapons from Mandara Mountain to wage war against the ISWAP in Sambisa Forest.
The attack began with a failed negotiation initiated by the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād (Boko Haram) terrorist group, inviting its rival group the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), that they are ready to surrender themselves (mubayi’a) to ISWAP leadership.
Makama added that unknown to ISWAP group, Ngulde and his team had staged an ambush against them in which at least 12 of the ISWAP members were killed in Yuwe while others escaped with bullets wounds.
In the aftermath of the encounters, Boko Haram members seized four Hilux trucks mounted with weapons belonging to their rivals and burnt another.
A source said that shortly after the victory, the Boko Haram fighters mobilised more fighters from Abu Ikilima’s camp at Gaizuwa, Gabchari, Mantari and Mallum Masari to attack more ISWAP positions in Ukuba, Arra and Sabil Huda and Farisu, killing about 23 more fighters.
The ISWAP group later retreated and took position at the camp of Izzah. Thereafter, they moved to Garin Abbah, located about 2 kilometers where they pinned down to wait for the Boko Haram.
But instead of going to meet the ISWAP rivals to continue the fight, the Boko-Haram elements did a detour and headed to where ISWAP wives are located and killed 33 of them.
It will be seen in the coming days how ISWAP fighters will react to the brutal killing of their wives by the Boko Haram elements.
Daily Trust