A fresh leadership crisis is reportedly deepening within the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) following the reported defection of prominent commander Yaku Buduma and fighters loyal to him.
The latest internal confrontation began on Friday, September 25, after Buduma reportedly led his men in an attempt to free kinsmen detained on the orders of ISWAP leader Ba Shuwa.
The detainees were allegedly suspected of planning to surrender to government authorities or had come under scrutiny over their loyalty to Ba Shuwa.
Buduma reportedly served as an amirul fi’a, a commander overseeing a large fighting unit, with four qaids, or field commanders, operating under him.
His faction, estimated to comprise more than 1,000 fighters, was considered strategically important to ISWAP’s operations around the Lake Chad Basin because of its extensive knowledge of the region’s waterways, islands and marshes.
The fighters, known as waterborne combatants, have reportedly played a key role in operations against the Boko Haram faction led by Bakura Doro. Their familiarity with the difficult terrain has enabled them to move personnel, weapons and supplies across the Lake Chad waterways.
The reported split could also strain ISWAP’s relationship with the Buduma community, which was strengthened by Abubakar Mainok, also known as Abu Bilal al-Mainuki.
Mainok was said to have established close ties with the Buduma community after relocating to the Lake Chad area around 2014, helping ISWAP expand its influence across remote and difficult-to-access parts of the region.
Mainok was killed in May during a joint Nigerian-American counter-terrorism operation announced by United States President Donald Trump. His death was followed by the emergence of Ba Shuwa as ISWAP leader and an alleged purge of fighters suspected of disloyalty.
The reported departure of Buduma’s faction could affect ISWAP’s ability to confront Bakura’s Boko Haram faction while creating additional challenges for the group’s operations across the Lake Chad waterways.
It could also pose a significant leadership challenge for Ba Shuwa, as efforts to prevent defections have reportedly coincided with the loss of a major fighting unit with extensive knowledge of the terrain.
Recent accounts from former ISWAP fighters interviewed by HumAngle in Maiduguri suggest that internal disputes have become an increasing source of pressure on the group, alongside its continuing conflict with Boko Haram and military operations against both factions.
The former fighters said clashes between rival factions had led to the deaths of experienced commanders and fighters, weakened some operational units, disrupted supply networks and heightened suspicion within ISWAP.
Their accounts indicate that ISWAP is facing pressure on multiple fronts, including internal power struggles, military operations and its longstanding rivalry with Boko Haram.
 following the reported defection){kind=link}