Over 200 Killed as Rival Jihadist Factions Clash in Northeast Nigeria

At least 200 militants have been killed in fierce clashes between rival jihadist groups; Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) near the Lake Chad region of northeast Nigeria, according to intelligence and militia sources.

The fighting erupted Sunday in Dogon Chiku, a strategic area along the Lake Chad shores, as both factions battled for territorial dominance and ideological supremacy. Anti-jihadist militia members and former insurgents confirmed the high death toll, describing it as one of the deadliest internal confrontations since the groups split in 2016.

While ISWAP reportedly lost most of the casualties, Boko Haram suffered only minor losses, further tilting the balance of power in the long-running insurgency. Nigerian intelligence officials welcomed the infighting, calling it “good news,” as both groups have been responsible for thousands of deaths and mass displacement across the northeast.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, farmers in Zamfara and Sokoto States are decrying escalating extortion and intimidation by armed bandits, who are now imposing “harvest taxes” on rural communities.

Residents say the criminal gangs dictate when farmers can access their fields and demand payments in cash or grain, punishing defaulters through abductions or attacks.

The worsening security situation has forced many farmers to abandon their crops, deepening fears of a looming food crisis across northern Nigeria.