Dozens of fighters were reportedly killed on Tuesday after fresh fighting erupted between the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the Bukura faction loyal to Abu Umaima in Borno State. The clash occurred along the Lake Chad Basin corridor in Abadam Local Government Area, close to the Nigeria–Niger Republic border.
Sources said the violence began around 6:00 a.m. and lasted for over four hours, with intense gun battles around Dogon Chiku Buhari village, a border community less than a kilometre from Niger. Fighters from the Bukura faction, believed to be operating from the Nigerien side of the Lake Chad Basin, reportedly crossed into Nigeria to attack ISWAP positions.
Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, citing multiple security sources, said both sides deployed large numbers of fighters and heavy weapons in what appeared to be a battle for territorial control. The area around Dogon Chiku Buhari, near Tubum Mota and the Bosso–Diffa axis, was described as the main theatre of the confrontation, with heavy casualties recorded on both sides.
The renewed violence is linked to deep-seated rivalries among jihadist groups in the Lake Chad region. While ISWAP has continued efforts to dominate the area by absorbing or eliminating rival factions, the Bukura group has resisted, relying on cross-border movement and local support. Analysts warn that the porous Niger border continues to hinder counterterrorism efforts, allowing armed groups to regroup and evade military pressure.