‘ISWAP Founder’s Son, Mahmud Albarnawy Surrenders In Maiduguri’

The eldest son of Mamman Nur, the founder of the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP), Mahmud Mamman Nur Albarnawy, has surrendered to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps in Maiduguri.

Mahmud, who is 22 years old, surrendered on Sunday, May 12.

Mahmud Mamman Nur Albarnawy was confirmed to be the senior son of the late ISWAP founder after undergoing profiling at the Command Headquarters of NSCDC in Maiduguri.

A Lake Chad Basin counterterrorism and insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, quoted intelligence sources as revealing that the command facilitated his surrender through his uncle in Gamborun Ngala after receiving information that he was willing to formally surrender to the Nigerian government.

A reliable agent was reportedly sent to convey Mahmud to Maiduguri, and they arrived on May 11, at approximately 1 pm.

Mahmud was then debriefed and profiled by an intelligence officer of the command.

During the process, he confessed to sneaking out of the Ali Ngulde camp in Mandara Mountain, Gwoza LGA, and staying in Gwange, the city capital, for about a month before relocating to Gamboru Ngala without raising any alarm or distress signs from the communities.

While residing in Gamboru Ngala, some of his late father’s supporters urged him to return to the Lake Chad region to pledge loyalty to ISWAP, but he declined, pointing out his father’s betrayal and tragic fate.

He admitted to participating in assaults in Bama, Banki, Gwoza, and various other locations as a mid-level combatant within the Boko Haram organization.

Mahmud was transferred to the Bulunkutu Rehabilitation Centre for additional processing and supervision.

ISWAP Commander: Who Is Mamman Nur?

In 2013, the top leaders of the Boko Haram group, which was founded by Muhammad Yusuf, were forced to leave Maiduguri due to the intensified campaign against them by the Joint Security Forces.

Reports revealed that the commanders included Mamman Nur, Khalid Albarnawi, Abubakar Shekau, Kaka Ali, Mustapha Chad, Abu Maryam, and Abu Krimima.

After some time, they regrouped in the Sambisa forest and continued their violent campaign by launching coordinated attacks on towns and villages. This led to the group becoming an organized terror organization.

In March 2015, Boko Haram pledged its allegiance to the ISIS Caliphate under Abubakar Al-Baghdadi. ISIS accepted this pledge and appointed Abubakar Shekau as the first Wali of the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP).

However, Shekau was later removed by ISIS due to a petition filed against his leadership by Mamman Nur and Abu Mussab Albarawi, who were members of the Shura Consultative Council. Shekau was accused of ideological extremism, extrajudicial killings, injustice, poor leadership skills, and the targeting of women and children.

This internal crisis resulted in the separation of the Boko Haram group and ISWAP. The latter moved to the Lake Chad region of Marte and Abadam to establish their own caliphate, with Mamman Nur as their new spiritual leader.

On August 21, 2018, Mamman Nur was killed in a mutiny led by Abou Mossab Albarnawyy and some ISWAP fighters. Nur was eliminated because he had released the Government Girls Secondary School Dapchi girls without demanding ransom from the Nigerian government.

Following the elimination of Mamman Nur, Abou-Mossab Albarnawyy emerged as the new spiritual leader of ISWAP.