The Shura Council of ISIS in West Africa - the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) has appointed one Aliyu Chakkar as its new ‘Governor of the Lake Chad’ region.

Aliyu Chakkar replaced Amir Goni Maina after the ISWAP Warlord was eliminated in a Nigerian Army and Air-Force coordinated military bombardment while the jihadist was in the process of conducting a strategic leadership and operational meeting at a location given by ground sources at the time as Sabon Tumbu - on Dec. 1, 2020.

READ ALSO: NIGERIAN AIRSTRIKE KILLS NOTORIOUS ISWAP GOVERNOR-AMIR GONI MAINA

The Damage assessment of the targeted aerial strike that killed the former jihadist ‘governor’ Amir Goni Maina along with other parallel precision strikes at jihadist camps in Ingilwa, Tundun Wulgo, Jubularam and Abbaganaram fridges of the LakeChad - led to the 

elimination of more than 100 jihadists, including several high-ranking insurgents’ commanders, foot soldiers and Hisbah police from the ISWAP faction, Abubakar Shekau faction and foreign mercenaries.

Sources disclosed that the newly appointed ‘governor’ and Lake Chad basin warlord was spotted enroute to debrief Amir Ba-Lawan , the ISWAP leader in a location revealed as KOYOWA - the known Headquarters and strongest hold of the ISIS-affiliated West Africa province branch. The little known but notorious Aliyu Chakkar was accompanied for his maiden tête à tête meeting by 3 of his lieutenants given by sources as Mohd Maluma, Ali Hussaini, and Ali Musak, all high ranking ISWAP field Commanders.

At KAYOWA - the ISWAP Headquarters, Ba- Lawan handed over the mantle of leadership of the Lake Chad region to the new ‘Governor’. 

On receiving his official appointment, Chakkar is said to have sworn to consolidate on the command and control successes recorded by late Goni Maina. He promised to sustain previous plans of launching indiscriminate attacks in the coming months - presumably December 2020 and January/February of 2021.

READ ALSO: INTELLIGENCE ALERT: BOKO HARAM ISWAP PLAN BLOODY DECEMBER

Sources further revealed that on Dec. 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 a location named as DORON BUHARI - 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.

The new appointment and leadership of Amir Aliyu Chakkar will 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. New alliances are likely to be forged with external jihadist units in the Sahel via links with Niger Republic units. 

Multiple attack tactics are likely to be deployed to target locations along Maiduguri metropolis as an entry signature for power consolidation by the new ISWAP warlord.

Multiple stakeholders - including civilians; Staff of INGOs, state officials must be extremely alert - and be extremely vigilant in this period - travel ONLY when extremely necessary- If you see something- say something immediately. This is the people’s war - the security services can only win if the people are willing and protected to play an active role in timely information sharing. 

David Otto.

About The Author

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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