Islamic State West Africa Province, which split from Boko Haram in 2016. Holds Lake Chad islands and rural northern Borno; taxes fishing, farming and trade. Lost bases to JAS in the Nov 2025 Battle of Lake Chad. Keeps overrunning army bases (Mairari, Oct 2026).
Leader(s): Shura-led; Abu Saleem named South Lake Chad ‘wali’ (per Nigerian Army, Oct 2026)
Origin: Nigeria (Kanuri-majority)
Area of operation: Borno (Lake Chad), Diffa, Lac Province (Chad)
Recent (to 21 Oct 2026)
- Spreading beyond Borno: Mubi (Adamawa) camp attack, 4 soldiers killed (30 Sep); Kanama (Yobe) ambush, 7 soldiers including a major (~19 Oct) (C3, Sahel Monitor, t.me/sahelmonitor/400, 8 Oct 2026), (C3, Sahel Monitor, t.me/sahelmonitor/509, 19 Oct 2026). ISWAP–JAS clash at Chongolo, 23 dead (C3, Sahel Monitor, t.me/sahelmonitor/190, 4 Sep 2026).
- Claims attributed to an ISS report based on a defector: the shura decided to send 100 fighters to Mali and 50 to Nasarawa, foreign instructors (Iraq, Libya, Chechnya) arrived for anti-aircraft training, livestock and fishing taxes rose 50% (₦10,000 → ₦40,000 per field, ₦15,000 → ₦25,000 per bag of fish) and the recruitment age fell from 17 to 15. A cell is reportedly being set up near Waza NP, Cameroon. The ISS report itself was not located (C3, Faytuks News Discord (west-africa-sahel) via @KargnHasret, x.com/KargnHasret/status/2083557114866172245, 1 Aug 2026), (C3, Faytuks News Discord (west-africa-sahel) via @CelestinDelanga, x.com/CelestinDelanga/status/2084377553230299526, 3 Aug 2026), (C3, Faytuks News Discord (west-africa-sahel) via @ChrisADayton, x.com/ChrisADayton/status/2084362778035241250, 3 Aug 2026).
Relationships
- Province of: Islamic State (central)
- Fights: JAS (Boko Haram)
- Fights: Nigerian Armed Forces
- Fights: MNJTF
- Fights: CJTF (Nigeria)
- Fights: Chad (ANT)
Referenced by
- Chad (ANT) (Fights)
- FAN (Niger) (Fights)
- Islamic State (central) (Parent of)
- JAS (Boko Haram) (Fights)
- MNJTF (Fights)
- Nigerian Armed Forces (Fights)