Fresh Chadian Offensive Forces ISWAP/Boko Haram Fighters to Flee Lake Chad Shores

By: Zagazola Makama

A fresh military offensive by Chadian forces in the Lake Chad Basin has triggered a mass displacement of Boko Haram terrorists and their families from the Tunbuns and adjoining island settlements toward parts of northern Borno, security and local sources have disclosed.

The development followed days of intense aerial bombardments and coordinated ground assaults launched by the Chadian military against suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP enclaves in the Lake Chad region after deadly attacks on Chadian troops earlier this month.

Sources told Zagazola Makama on Tuesday that large numbers of insurgents, accompanied by women and children, were seen moving across border routes from the Tunbuns toward Kangarwa and surrounding settlements.

Kangarwa is located about 14 to 15 kilometres from Kukawa in northern Borno.

The sources said the fleeing insurgents were escaping sustained bombardments by Chadian air assets targeting known terrorist camps and logistics bases located within the marshlands and islands around the Lake Chad fringes.

According to the sources, there are growing fears that some of the displaced fighters may attempt to regroup within established enclaves around Doro Naira, Wula Wula, Njemina, Tunbun Gini, Tunbun Rago and Tunbun Shanu in Borno state.

The sources stressed the need for intensified military operations within the Kukawa, Baga, Gudumbali and Malam Fatori axis to prevent the insurgents from integrating into existing cells operating within Nigerian territory.

The latest offensive is believed to be directly linked to recent deadly attacks carried out by insurgents against Chadian troops in the Lac Province area of Chad.

Security sources said insurgents linked to the Bakura-led faction of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) attacked Chadian military positions at Ngaboua and Chukuntale, known collectively as the Barka Tolorom axis, between May 4 and May 6.

According to the sources, the first attack occurred on May 4 at about 10 p.m. when insurgents stormed a Chadian military base at Ngaboua and reportedly overran the position.

Two days later, Chadian troops mounted a counteroffensive involving senior military commanders and multiple watercraft advancing through the riverine area toward insurgent positions.

However, the troops were reportedly ambushed around the Chukuntale waterways and adjoining high grounds.

Official Chadian figures put the casualty toll at 23 soldiers killed and 26 wounded.

However, security and local intelligence sources suggested that the actual casualty figure could be significantly higher, with some reports indicating that more than scores of soldiers, including two generals, may have been killed during the attacks.

The Chadian authorities subsequently declared a three-day national mourning period from May 6 to May 9 for fallen soldiers and imposed a 20-day state of emergency across the Lac Province.

Sources also disclosed that mass burials had been conducted for some of the deceased troops, while reports indicated that additional bodies remained within remote island locations difficult to access.

Zagazola noted that the Lake Chad region remains one of the most difficult operational theatres in the fight against Boko Haram due to its geography of islands, swamps and narrow waterways that provide insurgents with concealment and escape routes.

The terrain enables fighters to move rapidly between islands using canoes and small boats, making pursuit by conventional forces extremely difficult.

Zagazola further noted that poor communications, difficult logistics and isolated forward positions often complicate casualty evacuation, troop reinforcement and battlefield reporting within the region.

The latest attacks have also revived memories of the March 2020 Bohoma assault in Chad, where Boko Haram fighters killed dozens of Chadian soldiers during an attack on a military base located on one of the Lake Chad islands.

The renewed Chadian offensive appears aimed at dismantling insurgent camps and preventing further attacks on military formations within the region.

However, concerns remain that displaced insurgents could spill into communities across northern Borno and parts of Yobe if regional forces fail to coordinate sustained follow-up operations.

Military sources said the current dry-season conditions between May and July provide favourable terrain for clearance operations within the Tunbuns and adjoining riverine corridors.

Zagazola also renewed calls for stronger coordination among countries operating under the Multinational Joint Task Force, warning that unilateral operations without sustained regional synchronisation could simply displace insurgent threats across borders rather than eliminate them.

Fresh Chadian Offensive Forces ISWAP/Boko Haram Fighters to Flee Lake Chad Shores