JOINT ARMY, DSS, AMOTEKUN OPERATION ELIMINATES ANOTHER ISWAP LEADER

A joint intelligence-led operation involving the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Western Nigeria Security Network, known as Amotekun, has eliminated a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar.

Ohida was killed alongside several other members of the terrorist group during a surprise assault on their hideout in Owo Forest, Ondo State, over the weekend. Security sources said the operation followed intelligence indicating that the commander was preparing attacks in parts of southern Nigeria.  

According to security sources, Ohida had previously served as deputy to ISWAP’s Central Nigeria leader, Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who was arrested by the DSS in 2023. Following Ikrimah’s arrest, Ohida reportedly assumed a leadership role in ISWAP activities across parts of the North-Central and southern regions.

Intelligence reportedly obtained during the interrogation of Abu Uwais helped security agencies uncover plans allegedly linked to Ohida to attack civilians during the forthcoming festive period and disrupt the 2027 general elections. The intelligence was also said to have been corroborated by international partners, including the United Kingdom.  

Security sources further linked Ohida to several previous attacks on security formations, including the December 2025 attack on Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo and attacks on security facilities in Niger, Kogi and Abuja. These allegations have been attributed to security sources and have not been independently established in court.  

The operation represents another joint effort by Nigeria’s security agencies to disrupt terrorist networks operating beyond the traditional conflict zones in the country’s North-East, particularly those seeking to establish cells in the North-Central and southern regions.