By DAVID OTTO

In what could be described as true to type, impeccable sources have confirmed that ISIS in Africa (ISWAP) has executed about 20 «prisoners» that had been sentenced to death by the Chief Judge and his council as we earlier reported. The execution took place on Friday, 31st July 2020 at about 10:30am local time at a location given as Tudun Woulgo, which is close to Sabon Tombo along Lake Chad axis. According to the reliable source, executions were carried out immediately after Eid-El-Kabir prayers at their Central Mosque in Tudun Woulgo, part of the terrorists hideout.

The jihadists had promised to execute about 14 individuals including some key commanders on the 31st July 2020. This was after the notorious warlord Amir Baba Kaka was executed at Kwalaram close to Kwatan Marghi. He was killed on the evening of Sunday 26th July 2020 along with two of his lieutenants; Amir Muhammed Lawal AKA Abba Lawal and Amir Musa. It will be recalled that the jihadists’ leadership had planned to carry out the execution of these individuals at a location that had previously been given as Tunbum Kurna. But for some inexplicable reasons the actual location of the dastardly execution was changed to Tudun Woulgo.

Those executed included one Ba'a Masta, an Islamic Scholar who preached in the Tumbus; two Nigerian Army soldiers (names withheld) and one individual known only as John, described by sources as ‘an Igbo man‘ who was abducted on suspicion and allegation of “looking like a spy.” The heartless executions took place in a typical jihadists fashion amidst wild jubilation by hundreds of the insurgents compelled to watch which comprised of jihadists fighters and young children mechanically chanting “Allahu Akbar!”

A ring-like structure of cheering crowds of men and children that witnessed the executions included some top and key members of the ISWAP leadership, admist very tight security. The source further stated the men were treated in the most inhuman manner and then brutally murdered with knives and bleed to death.

Meanwhile, the jihadist leadership chaos continues to destabilise the Boko Haram terrorists and ISWAP structure in the Lake Chad region. This was following internal power struggles made worse by the recent sustained land and aerial coordinated offensives against the terrorists by the Nigerian Army commanded by Lt Gen.Tukur Yusufu Buratai; the Chadian Army under President Idriss Derby and the regional Multi-national Joint Task Force (MNJTF) troops. The successful offensives were mostly targeted at the Jihadist strongholds, particularly in Tumbun Gini. Thousands of Boko Haram terrorists and ISWAP fighters and their commanders have recently been eliminated forcing a complete overhaul of ISWAP leadership and independent groups turned bandits. Some of the criminals spilled over to the north west geo-political zone of Nigeria to align and terrorise the vulnerable population. The summary execution of some of top jihadist leaders and other captives is part of an ongoing cleansing among the terrorists. It is also aimed at consolidation exercise by the most recent ISWAP leadership of Ba Abubakar Lawan and the return of Abu Musab Albarnawi to ISWAP high command. In addition a video clip of the executions will be released soon by the terrorists.

In view of these developments in the theatre, all local and regional stakeholders must engage each other. They need to collectively collaborate further towards a common goal of achieving complete and sustainable defeat of terrorists and criminal elements hibernating in some parts of the north eastern and north western of Nigeria. All hands should be on deck among the armed and security forces of Chad, Cameroun, Niger and Nigeria. Citizens and government must support the military and security forces to succeed. It is a collective and People’s War! No room for bickering or distractions.

•David Otto is the Director for Stepped In – Step Out UK Ltd and a Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Expert. He is a Certified Anti-Terrorism Specialist (CAS), a Certified Master Anti-Terrorism Specialist (CMAS) and a programme trainer with the Anti-Terrorism Accreditation Board (ATAB). Twitter @ottotgs Email: David.otto@steppedin-stepout.com

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