Nigerian security forces have killed a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in a joint operation, thwarting planned attacks across southern parts of the country.
Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar, was killed alongside several other fighters during a targeted dawn raid on a forest hideout in Owo, Ondo State.
The operation was conducted by a combined force of the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the local Western Nigeria Security Network, known as Amotekun.
Military and intelligence sources said British intelligence partners provided supporting information for the operation.
Security officials said Ohida was planning “massive terrorist attacks” targeting civilians during the upcoming festive period, with long-term plans aimed at disrupting Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Ohida had taken over ISWAP’s operations across central and southern Nigeria following the 2023 arrest of the group’s regional chief, Abu Ikrimah (also known as Abu Uwais). Intelligence obtained during Ikrimah’s interrogation helped trace Ohida’s location.
According to security sources, Ohida was responsible for a string of high-profile attacks across the country in recent years, including:
- December 2025: An assault on the Ipele Divisional Police Station in Ondo State, where weapons were stolen and the facility was bombed.
- July 2022: The high-security raid on the Kuje Correctional Centre near the capital, Abuja, which led to a mass prison break.
- July 2022: An ambush on a military checkpoint along the Suleja–Zuba Road in Niger State that killed several soldiers and civilians.
- April & February 2022: Fatal raids on police facilities in Kogi State.
Security experts say Ohida’s death marks a major operational blow to ISWAP’s strategic push to expand beyond its traditional stronghold in northeastern Nigeria. His elimination comes just months after the death of senior ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki, further destabilizing the militant group’s command structure in the region.
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