ISWAP reportedly executes four Shura Council members amid leadership crisis
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has reportedly killed four senior members of its Shura Council amid an ongoing leadership crisis within the terrorist organisation.
According to security expert Zagazola Makama, the four members were arrested by ISWAP elements last week before allegedly being executed by Ba Shuwa, a senior figure within the group, at its Kwatan Dila enclave.
Makama disclosed the development in a statement posted on X, saying the reported executions point to growing internal disagreements and factional tensions within ISWAP, which operates mainly in the Lake Chad region.
He said the four Shura Council members were detained amid an ongoing leadership crisis, although the specific allegations against them could not be independently verified.
Their reported execution, Makama added, could signal a broader internal purge as rival commanders seek to consolidate authority within the group.
The development comes amid intensified military operations targeting terrorist leadership structures in the region.
Makama said the incident could have significant implications for ISWAP’s command structure, particularly if other senior commanders and Shura Council members interpret the executions as evidence of a wider purge.
He explained that the Shura Council traditionally plays a key role in the decision-making structure of terrorist organisations, including matters relating to leadership, operations, administration and resource management.
According to him, the reported killings could therefore go beyond an isolated disciplinary action and further weaken cohesion within ISWAP’s senior leadership.
Makama said security agencies were closely monitoring the development as part of efforts to understand and exploit divisions within the organisation.
He added that the reported internal fractures could provide security forces with opportunities to encourage further defections and surrenders, as well as obtain additional intelligence on the group’s activities and leadership structure.
