A Shura Council member, a commander linked to ISWAP’s leader and two Arab fighters were reportedly killed, but residents say fear and disruption continue.
By Onibiyo Segun
KUKAWA, Borno State — Families fled, children became separated from parents in darkness, and vigilantes carried an elderly man to safety when Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters attacked military positions in Kukawa on October 31.
“When shooting intensified, families ran. Women, children and the elderly were forced to leave their homes and run to our primary school behind the military position. Some children were separated from their parents in the darkness,” Vigilante leader Abubakar Shettima told TruthNigeria in an interview.
Shettima said he was at a post when gunfire erupted from two directions between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Attackers approached from the Lake Chad islands and Alagarno axis on motorcycles and on foot.
“My team guided residents to safety, carrying an elderly man believed to be nearly 80,” Shettima said. He said he witnessed no civilian casualties, but residents feared a repeat of the October 6 assault.
Punch newspaper reported that the military said troops repelled the attack, killing Abu Hajara, identified as a senior ISWAP Shura Council member; Abul Walid, described as a close associate of overall Wali Ba Shuwa; and two high-ranking Arab fighters.
Captain Mohammed Goni, Acting Media Information Officer of Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, reported that the multi-directional assault occurred late on October 31. Ground troops, supported by the Air Component, repelled the attackers and recovered weapons, ammunition and tactical communication devices.
A video circulating on X appears to show soldiers recovering bodies from a river after a military operation, but its location, date and connection to Kukawa remain unverified.
The November 1 statement did not disclose the Arab fighters’ nationalities, precise start time, additional insurgent casualties or whether anyone on the military or civilian side was wounded. The military has not released a detailed after-action account, casualty breakdown, or evidence identifying the two Arab fighters, leaving these questions unresolved for residents and investigators.
“Our safety should not depend on one-night victory. Measure success not by how many commanders are killed, but whether my children can go to the farm without fear tomorrow,” Shettima explained to TruthNigeria.
Shettima told TruthNigeria that they heard a jet and helicopter around 10 p.m., and fighting lasted two to three hours.
Leadership Loss, Not Yet Collapse
“The Shura Council is ISWAP’s highest consultative body. It approves major operations, appoints Walis and adjudicates disputes. Losing a member creates a vacuum at the strategic level, not just the tactical level,” Dr. Kabir Umar, a terrorism research expert based in Kebbi State said. He said the deaths were significant but did not prove ISWAP’s command structure had collapsed.
“Abul Walid’s reported proximity to Ba Shuwa placed him in the group’s Lake Chad inner circle,”Umar said. “But ISWAP had shown resilience since splitting from Boko Haram in 2016 and could promote replacements.”
The European Union Agency for Asylum says ISWAP divides its north-eastern territories into provinces, or wilayas: Buhaira around Lake Chad, Faruq across southern Borno, southern Yobe and northern Adamawa, and Krenowa in northern and central Borno.
The test was whether ISWAP could mount coordinated assaults and replace the equipment recovered in Kukawa. “A decline in complex attacks over 30 to 45 days could suggest disruption; a rapid return would indicate resilience”, Umar said.
Military Gains Need Holding Power
Analysts say killing senior commanders could disrupt decisions, weaken morale and yield intelligence from recovered devices. But gains would be temporary without troop presence, follow-up operations and civilian protection.
“Kukawa county (Local Government Area) cannot be a revolving door where troops repel an attack and then reduce their presence,” Colonel Mudi Attaihiru (rtd .) told TruthNigeria. He added that, “there must be constant patrols around farms, fishing routes and markets, and analysis of devices to identify targets is a must”.
Attaihiru urged the military to clarify casualty figures from Buni Yadi. The latest statement said 55 insurgents were killed there three days before Kukawa. An October 30 report separately cited 48 deaths across operations in Bitta and Buni Yadi. He urged clarification on whether these were separate or overlapping assessments.
Arab Fighters, Unanswered Questions
“Arab does not automatically mean from the Middle East,” Dr. Murtala Ahmed Rufai an academic and researcher said.
Rufai said, “ISWAP maintained links with wider Islamic State networks and foreign fighters had been documented around Lake Chad. They could bring training or technical expertise, but the military had not disclosed their backgrounds or assignments.”
Rufai urged, “military and security authorities must examine recovered documents and phones before concluding foreign recruitment had increased. Local recruitment could help ISWAP replace losses”.
Residents Want Lasting Security
Shettima said volunteers needed radios, phones and assurance that alerts would bring a timely response.
“People fear another attack. ISWAP always returns after losing commanders to show they are still strong,” he said.
The October 31 operation followed an October 6 assault on a Kukawa military position. In earlier TruthNigeria reporting, farmer Abba Goni said air support had been crucial in preventing heavier military losses during that attack.
Onibiyo Segun reports on terrorism and conflict for TruthNigeria.
