Terrorist rivalry behind Borno schoolchildren abduction – BOSYA President

The President of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), Samaila Ibrahim Kaigam, said that the abduction of more than 50 pupils from Mussa Askira School in Uba Local Government Area of Borno State was carried out by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). According to Kaigam, the kidnapping was a retaliation for a recent attack by a rival faction of Boko Haram.

Kaigam explained that the kidnapping followed a fierce confrontation between Jama’atu Ahlis‑Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal‑Jihad (JAS) and ISWAP insurgents. During that clash, JAS fighters reportedly overran ISWAP camps in parts of southern Borno.

He said that after the JAS fighters withdrew, ISWAP members returned to the area on what he described as a “revenge mission.” Unable to locate the rival fighters they had intended to confront, the insurgents allegedly stormed the community and abducted the schoolchildren instead.

Kaigam held discussions with leaders of the JAS faction, who denied responsibility for the kidnapping and insisted that ISWAP carried out the attack. He noted that the abduction was not pre‑planned but occurred after ISWAP fighters failed to encounter their rivals during the retaliatory operation.

The BOSYA president added that negotiations are ongoing regarding the release of some captives, including women and children from affected communities. He said the insurgents have requested a list of individuals who could be considered for release.

He also said efforts are being made to establish contact with individuals linked to ISWAP in order to obtain information about the abducted pupils and confirm that they are still alive.

Kaigam expressed concern that ISWAP may not publicly acknowledge the abduction or demand ransom, describing the group as unpredictable in its operations.