Members of the Boko Haram sect, popularly known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, have eliminated one of its leaders, Abou Hassana, over alleged plot to form faction.

This was as the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Super Tucano fighter jets neutralised Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the Andakar/Musari/Klabariya axis of Marte Local Council, Borno State.

The Guardian gathered that Hassana was eliminated along with three of his accomplices in front of other fighters at the Mandara Mountain in Gwoza Local Council, which was once under the control of Boko Haram, after they slaughtered about 100 civilians in a day.

A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, Zagazola Makama, said Ali Ngulde, the second in command, ordered the execution of the ‘rebels’.

Hassana, according to sources, was trying to raise an independent faction within Boko Haram to spearhead his own terror campaigns in Koltafirgi village, also known as Gaizuwa in Sambisa.

Ari Fusam, an indigene of Bama, who was leading Boko Haram terrorists in Gaizuwa before they were dislodged by the Nigerian military, reportedly replaced Hassana.

Fusam and Ba’a Issah were promoted to the ranks of Amir Fiye, while Bakura Jega, a former Nakib, was promoted to Khaid.

In a related development, NAF has neutralised ISWAP terrorists in Marte.
The new Chief of Air Staff (CAS), AVM Hassan Abubakar, also vowed to clear remnants of the terrorists and bandits from the country.

Makama disclosed in Maiduguri, yesterday, that the military struck on Monday in the Marte axis.
According to him, the attack followed credible intelligence indicating that the terrorists, who survived the military airstrikes, had regrouped at Jubularam, Kwalaram and Sabon Tumbu village hideouts.

A military source in Maiduguri stated that the attack was preceded by series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that confirmed the presence of terrorists across the three villages.

The source said: “As the fighter jet arrived the overhead targeted Andakar village, several ISWAP terrorists were seen attempting to flee. The aircraft struck the location and directly hit the target area. This led to the neutralisation of many terrorists and destruction of their vehicles and logistics.”

It added that follow-up attacks were further carried out in some locations within the Musari/Klabariya axis, where ISWAP fighters were killed.