Samaila Ibrahim Kaigam, the president of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), claims that Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters kidnapped over fifty students from Mussa Askira School in Borno State’s Uba Local Government Area in retaliation for a recent attack by a rival Boko Haram faction.
According to Kaigam, the abduction came after ISWAP militants and Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) engaged in a bloody battle in which JAS fighters allegedly overran ISWAP camps in areas of southern Borno.
He claimed that after the JAS fighters had already left the area, ISWAP members went back on what he called a “revenge mission.”
He clarified that the rebels allegedly assaulted the neighbourhood and kidnapped students after failing to locate the enemy militants they planned to face.
According to Kaigam, he spoke with JAS faction officials, who asserted that ISWAP was responsible for the attack and denied any involvement in the kidnapping.
He pointed out that the kidnapping happened after ISWAP forces failed to come across their adversaries during the retaliatory operation and was not prearranged.
The president of BOSYA also revealed that talks were underway to free several prisoners, including women and children from impacted villages, and that the rebels had asked for a list of people who might be released.
Additionally, he stated that attempts were being made to get in touch with people connected to ISWAP in order to get information about the kidnapped students and verify their survival.
Kaigam described ISWAP as unpredictable in its activities and voiced concern that the group might not publicly acknowledge the kidnapping or demand ransom.