Dozens of fighters have been reportedly killed following fresh clashes between rival terrorist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State.
The latest round of fighting, which started earlier in the week, has spread across parts of Bama and Konduga Local Government Areas, as both factions battle for control of territories and resources within the forest.
Reliable intelligence sources confirmed that the infighting began when a faction loyal to a notorious Boko Haram commander, Abba Tukurre, alongside his key lieutenants, Bunjumma and Ali Kalumbo, launched a major offensive on rival camps.
The assault reportedly started at Gazuwa Camp, one of the largest terrorist hideouts in the Sambisa axis, where Tukurre’s men overpowered rival fighters after several hours of intense gunfire.
The fighting did not end at Gazuwa. Sources said Tukurre’s forces went on to attack nearby enclaves at Kashimeri, Katchi, and Bula Musaye, overrunning several hideouts and capturing weapons and supplies.
In response, another factional leader, Abu-Rijal — also known as Ba-Sulhu — mobilised reinforcements from the Mandara Mountains to challenge Tukurre’s men. His fighters clashed with the rival faction at Bula Marwaye and later regrouped at Goneri to plan counter-attacks.
By late Wednesday, reports indicated that Tukurre’s faction had taken control of Gargash, Minna, and Garin Massa Kaje — key settlements within the Sambisa axis — and established new checkpoints around Yamut and Jungule.
Night operations were also carried out to pursue fleeing rival fighters. However, there were no confirmed reports of further engagements by Thursday morning.
While official casualty figures remain unclear, security sources believe that dozens of terrorists from both sides have been killed in the fierce confrontations, with several others injured or captured.
The clashes, according to analysts, are part of an ongoing power struggle within the jihadist movement that has weakened its unity since the death of Boko Haram founder, Abubakar Shekau, in 2021.
Since Shekau’s death, ISWAP — which broke away from Boko Haram in 2016 — has sought to assert full dominance over territories in Borno, Yobe, and parts of the Lake Chad Basin. However, splinter groups loyal to Shekau’s former commanders have continued to resist ISWAP’s control.
“Whenever these groups turn on each other, attacks on communities usually drop for a short while,” a security source explained. “But once one side gains the upper hand, they regroup and resume operations against civilians and the military.”
The infighting could, however, create a power vacuum that may be exploited by smaller terror cells operating in the southern Lake Chad, Tumbun Fulani, and Bulumkutu–Geidam corridors, who may launch retaliatory strikes or take over abandoned camps.
Troops under Operation HADIN KAI — the Nigerian military’s counter-insurgency operation in the North-East are said to be closely monitoring the situation.
Military sources said troops remain on high alert to prevent any spillover attacks on nearby communities or military bases. Surveillance aircraft have also been deployed to track movements within Sambisa Forest and the surrounding areas.
The Nigerian Army has not yet issued an official statement on the development, but officers say the internal conflict provides an opportunity to weaken both Boko Haram and ISWAP, who have been fighting for control of the region for years.
The Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009 and has since evolved into one of Africa’s deadliest conflicts, leading to over 35,000 deaths and displacing more than two million people, according to the United Nations.
The group split in 2016, giving rise to ISWAP, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Both factions have continued to launch attacks in Nigeria’s North-East and neighbouring countries around Lake Chad.
