Militants from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād on Monday mounted roadblocks in some parts of Borno State.

Areas, where the checkpoints were mounted by the terror group, include Mile 40, along Maiduguri/Gajaram road and Wajiroko, along Damboa/Biu road.

Sources said the insurgents were on the highways “checking on travellers’ identity cards to fish out security operatives travelling in mufti.” 

“They were also issuing tax receipts to defaulters,” another source confirmed.

UGAMATV had in several reports in 2021 reported how ISWAP had been taxing residents of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe State.

Sources said failure of the residents to comply with the directive attracted the death penalty.

The terrorist group also lifted the ban imposed on fishing and farming activities in the Lake Chad area, three years after chasing people out of the area for allegedly spying for Nigerian troops.

It, nevertheless, imposed new taxes and levies in the areas controlled by ISWAP-Boko Haram, to regulate trades and agricultural activities.

Several fishermen, farmers and merchants had returned to the Lake-Chad area to engage in socio-economic activities, under the arrangement of the new ISWAP-Boko Haram leadership.

Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.

Just recently, it appointed Wali Sani Shuwaram, a 45-year-old as the new Leader (Wali) of ISWAP in Lake Chad.

The sect’s membership has swollen with the defection of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters under Shekau.

The Nigerian Army has repeatedly claimed that insurgency had been largely defeated and the military frequently underplays any losses.

The terror group has caused over 100,000 deaths and displaced millions of individuals mainly in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.