BEVERLY HILLS, December 14, (THEWILL) – The Shura Council of ISIS, the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) has appointed Aliyu Chakkar as its new “Governor of the Lake Chad” region
Chakkar replaces Amir Goni Maina, after the ISWAP warlord was reportedly killed in a Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force coordinated military bombardment.
He was said to have been killed while the jihadists were in the process of conducting a strategic leadership and operational meeting at a Sabon Tumbu on December 1, 2020.
According to sources, the newly appointed ‘governor’ and Lake Chad basin warlord was spotted enroute to ”debrief” Amir Ba-Lawan, the ISWAP leader, in KOYOWA, the known Headquarters and strong hold of the ISIS-affiliated West Africa province branch.
Chakkar was accompanied by three of his trusted lieutenants: Mohd Maluma, Ali Hussaini Ali Musak, all high ranking ISWAP field Commanders.
The source added that while at Kayowa, the ISWAP Headquarters, Ba-Lawan handed over the mantle of leadership of the Lake Chad region to the new ‘Governor’.
Chakkar was said to have sworn to consolidate on the command and control successes recorded by late Goni Maina.
According to a source, Chakkar, upon assuming the new role, “vowed to launch attacks before the end of the month.”
Sources further revealed that on December 12, Chakkar and his group of loyalists fighters returned to Sabon Tumbu and Jubularam for a familiarisation tour.
He is reported to have proceeded to his newly established command and control base at Doron Buhari.
It is situated around North of Kirta and East of Bakkassi town, where he was received by some other key ISWAP leaders, including Malam Abubakar Dan Buduma, Amir Bin Umar, and Commander Hakilu.
There was a crisis in the group in February when Ba’a Idirisa, son of late Muhammed Yusuf, leader of the group in Nigeria, was killed.
Yusuf is the founder of the sect. His son was reportedly killed alongside three other commanders.
The ISWAP leaders, sources had said, were killed for “driving an idea” which was considered too soft for the insurgents.
The new appointment and leadership of Amir Aliyu Chakkar will no doubt trigger a wave of planned and directed attacks against soft civilian and hard military targets, specifically targeting military positions, routes and vulnerable towns in and around the Timbuktu triangle and the Lake Chad basin states.
