Civilians face intensified violence and near-daily attacks as Islamic State West Africa Province fighters try ‘to re-establish their footing as a force to be reckoned with’.

The recent surge in attacks by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters has left residents of Borno State in northeastern Nigeria on edge – and frightened for their lives.

Civilians have faced intensified violence and near-daily attacks by the armed group in rural areas of the state, although victims cannot always differentiate between Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS), more commonly referred to as Boko Haram, and ISWAP fighters.

ISWAP is an offshoot of JAS, with which it has a violent rivalry. Both groups have perpetrated mass atrocities against civilians.

Communities have suffered repeated attacks, resulting in killings and abductions. Women and girls have been raped and tortured. Many young girls have been forced to marry fighters and have children with them.

Farmers and firewood collectors are easy prey because they operate in isolated areas surrounded by bushes and forests.

ISWAP fighters operate throughout Borno State but are mostly based in the Lake Chad Basin region, where they have hideouts on remote islets.

In the past year, attacks have become increasingly frequent, with some communities being targeted multiple times.

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) said there were three possible reasons for the escalation in the number of attacks.

First, military operations have forced the group to make desperate decisions. Early last year, the Multinational Joint Task Force’s Operation Lake Sanity 2, in coordination with Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad’s armies, targeted ISWAP’s strongholds in the Lake Chad area and the Alargarno and Sambisa forests.

Several ISWAP facilities were destroyed and their fighters and commanders killed or injured. ISWAP accused civilians of providing information to security agents, justifying, in their eyes, their attacks on communities.

Second, the ISWAP-JAS rivalry, with both groups claiming superiority. And third, hunger – fighters raid and rob civilians to get food, the ISS suggested.

It said there had also been an escalation in attacks on highways linking local government areas with Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, and one linking Gamboru-Ngala with Maiduguri.

The attacks have been relentless. On December 16, ISWAP attacked Dalwa town. Nigerian Armed Forces were able to repel the attack and no lives were lost but residents are still struggling to go about their daily activities, particularly farmers on remote lands and firewood collectors who venture into the bushes and forests to cut down trees.

On December 21, ISWAP attacked Dalori town. They killed two residents and destroyed properties.

Residents of Dalori told RNI that they were “living in fear”.

“We fled from our homes. The insurgents burnt down houses and killed two people. We have returned to the town but we are frightened. We don’t know when the insurgents will return,” one resident said.

ISWAP claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and killing of two aid workers near Zari town in Borno State on December 21.

Fighters stormed Kauji village in the Damboa Local Government Area on Monday, December 23.

“There were many of them. They arrived on motorbikes and on foot. They were heavily armed and they were shooting haphazardly. I woke up to the sounds of gunshots,” said Abdulrahman Abaana. “I was extremely frightened.

“Most of the villagers were asleep when the attackers started shooting. We all woke up in a panic. We did not know what to do. We feared for our lives. Some of us stayed in our houses; others fled into the bushes to hide. It was chaotic. Some people are still missing. We do not know if they are alive. They might be too terrified to come out of the bushes.”

Abaana told RNI the insurgents looted food from people’s houses and raided local shops before setting them ablaze.

“As they went from house to house, they were shooting wildly. They set alight at least 20 houses, shops and community building structures, including a warehouse.

“Buildings all around the village were ablaze. It was only after the raid that we discovered two people were killed. One man was shot, the other stepped on an improvised explosive device [IED] that the insurgents had planted.

“At least 40 cattle were shot dead. They were in their stalls and could not escape.”

On Tuesday, December 24, a Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) member was killed in an ISWAP attack on the Ngwom community in the Mafa Local Government Area.

A security operative, who asked to remain anonymous, told RNI that insurgents stormed the village shortly before midnight. A CJTF member was killed and several others were wounded.

The CJTF member was buried on Wednesday, December 25, according to Islamic rites.

Listeners to RNI’s Morning Show shared their views on the reasons for the escalation in the number of attacks by ISWAP.

Ba’ari Fulata blamed the deterioration of the relationship between Nigeria and its neighbouring countries.

“That is why Nigeria is not receiving crucial intelligence. It no longer has enough support to fight terrorism.

“The situation is complex. ISWAP is a militant organisation that is subordinate to the Islamic State’s core group. It has attacked local populations, including Christians and Muslims, and it has been responsible for the deaths of many innocent people.

“To address the situation, it is essential to understand the root causes of the attacks and to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat the ISWAP group,” Fulata said. “This may involve improving the relationship between Nigeria and its neighboring countries, as well as providing support and resources to local communities that are affected by the attacks.”

Aisha from Limanti ward said: “It is crucial to address the social and economic factors that contribute to the radicalisation of young people and to provide alternative narratives to the ideology of the ISWAP group.”

A security analyst, Mohammed Mustapha Bukar, attributed the recent escalation to ISWAP wanting “to re-establish its footing as a force to be reckoned with”.

“The constant military counterinsurgency campaigns have taken a toll on the insurgents. Many have been chased from their hideouts and they are on the run. Although they are still feared by locals, they feel they need to show their strength and to take back their power.“Overall, the situation in northeastern Nigeria is dire, and it requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders to address the root causes of the attacks and to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat the ISWAP group,” Bukar said.

AYSHA MUSTAPHA KOLOMI