Dozens of terrorists killed as ISWAP and Boko Haram clash near Nigeria–Niger border in Borno (Video)

Dozens of terrorists were killed on both sides after a renewed violent encounter between the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and elements of the Bukura faction loyal to Abu Umaima along the Lake Chad Basin axis of Abadam Local Government Area of Borno.

According to a security analyst and counter-insurgency publication, Zagazola Makama, the clash started in the early hours of Tuesday, around 6:00 a.m., and continued until about 10:15 a.m. around Dogon Chiku Buhari village, a border settlement in Abadam LGA, barely one kilometre from the Nigeria–Niger Republic border.

The Bukura faction fighters, believed to be operating from settlements around the Lake Chad Basin on the Niger Republic side, engaged ISWAP elements resident on the Nigerian side of the border.

According to the sources cited by the publication, the clash was intense and lasted several hours, with both factions deploying fighters and weapons in a sustained battle for territorial dominance.

“The fighting took place around Dogon Chiku Buhari, east of Tubum Mota and the Bosso–Diffa axis in Niger Republic. It lasted several hours and resulted in heavy casualties on both sides,” one of the sources was quoted as saying.

Footage from the violent battle that took place prior to the SVBIED attack (towards the end of the video) in the Timbuktu Triangle, Borno State, the clashes are very intense as the ISWAP terrorists make cover for the SVBIED to approach the army’s temporary camp. https://t.co/5mWj7Wlpob pic.twitter.com/EEpG6nqcYs

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Tubum Mota village is located east of Malam Fatori, about 19 kilometres from the town.

The area has remained a persistent flashpoint due to its strategic location along the Lake Chad Basin and its proximity to the Nigeria–Niger border, which allows armed groups to move with relative ease between the two countries.

The renewed violence is believed to be rooted in longstanding rivalries within the jihadist ecosystem in the Lake Chad region.

ISWAP has, over the years, sought to consolidate its authority across the basin by absorbing or eliminating splinter groups and rival factions.

However, the Bukura faction loyal to Abu Umaima has consistently resisted subordination, relying on cross-border mobility, local alliances and knowledge of the terrain to sustain its operations.

Zagazola noted that the porous nature of the Nigeria–Niger border continues to pose serious challenges to counterterrorism efforts.

Fighters frequently exploit the weak border controls to shift bases, regroup after clashes and evade military pressure, complicating operations by Nigerian forces and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).