How ISWAP and Boko Haram are reshaping the Lake Chad Basin

ISIL's second-in-command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, was killed by United States and Nigerian forces in a compound near Lake Chad. This marks a notable achievement in counterterrorism efforts, but highlights the persistent and complex insecurity in the region. The killing underscores the resurgence of violence by ISIL's affiliate in West Africa Province and its rival, Boko Haram, due to weak governance, porous borders, and logistical bottlenecks in regional military operations. Local communities face dual pressures of insecurity and humanitarian deprivation.