The 14 September announcement of the execution of a 25 year old female ICRC midwife, Saifura Ahmed, marks the emergence of a more extremist faction of Boko Haram. She had been kidnapped on 1 March at Rann — in Bornu State’s Kala Balge Local Government Area (LGA) — by Boko Haram’s Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction. Two other humanitarian workers — Hauwa Leman and Alice Ngaddah — were also kidnapped during the same attack which also resulted in the killing of at least four soldiers who were guarding the internally displaced people’s camp in Rann.

ISWAP released the execution video on 14 September and claimed that they had contacted the government about Saifura Ahmed but received no response. They have also threatened to execute the remaining captives — including Leah Sharibu, the remaining Dapchi school girl in Boko Haram’s custody — in a month’s time if the government continues to ignore its demands. These demands were probably the payment of a ransom and the possible release of arrested senior commanders.

The execution comes a week after news emerged that ISWAP had killed one of its more moderate leaders, Mamman Nur. Nur was executed because he questioned the belief system of the insurgents. He was also accused of sowing divisive tendencies within the group, and had planned a coup against its overarching leader, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, as well as trying to escape from the group after the coup failed. According to some reports, Nur was kept under house arrest, until Islamic State in Libya (ISIL) ‘issued a fatwa for his execution.’ These reports also claim that Nur was never the leader of ISWAP but just a senior lieutenant.

The execution of Nur and Ahmed — and the increase in attacks on military bases — has raised fears that a more extremist faction of Boko Haram has emerged in the Lake Chad region. Nur was obviously a moderating influence on the group who opposed the hardliners. His execution could significantly change the mode of operations in the region.

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