Gruesome revelation: terrorist rivalry blamed for shocking abduction of Borno schoolchildren — BOSYA president speaks

The President of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), Samaila Ibrahim Kaigam, has revealed that the abduction of over 50 pupils from Mussa Askira School in Uba Local Government Area of Borno State was allegedly carried out by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters as a retaliatory attack against a rival Boko Haram faction.

Kaigam explained that the incident followed a violent clash between Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) and ISWAP insurgents, during which JAS fighters were said to have overrun ISWAP positions in parts of southern Borno.

According to him, ISWAP militants later returned to the area on what he described as a revenge mission after the rival JAS fighters had withdrawn.

He stated that, unable to locate their targets, the attackers allegedly stormed the community and abducted schoolchildren instead.

Kaigam further said he had engaged with leaders of the JAS faction, who denied involvement in the abduction and instead blamed ISWAP for the attack.

He noted that the kidnapping was not a premeditated operation but occurred after the insurgents failed to encounter their intended targets during the retaliatory assault.

The BOSYA president also disclosed that discussions were ongoing toward securing the release of some captives, including women and children, with the insurgents reportedly requesting lists of individuals who could be considered for release.

He added that efforts were underway to reach contacts linked to ISWAP to gather information on the abducted pupils and verify their safety.

Kaigam expressed concern that ISWAP may neither publicly acknowledge the abduction nor demand ransom, describing the group’s operations as unpredictable and difficult to track.