A joint security operation involving the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Western Nigeria Security Network, known as Amotekun, has eliminated a suspected senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) Abdussamad Ohida, in Ondo State.
Ohida, also known as Anwar, was reportedly killed alongside several other members of the terrorist group during an intelligence-led operation at a hideout in Owo forest at the weekend.
Security sources said the operation thwarted plans by the terrorist leader to launch attacks in parts of southern Nigeria during the forthcoming Yuletide celebrations and disrupt the 2027 general elections.
According to the sources, Ohida previously served as deputy to the leader of ISWAP's Central Nigeria operations, Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who was arrested by the DSS in 2023.
Following Ikrimah's arrest, Ohida allegedly assumed leadership of the group's activities across parts of North-Central and southern Nigeria, where he coordinated and executed several terrorist operations.
The sources disclosed that intelligence obtained by the DSS during the interrogation of Abu Uwais provided vital information about Ohida's alleged plans to attack civilians during the festive season.
The intelligence was reportedly corroborated by international partners from the United Kingdom, who supported the operation that led to his elimination.
One of the sources said Ohida was responsible for several deadly attacks on security formations and public institutions across the country.
These included the December 31, 2025, attack on the Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo, Ondo State, during which eight AK-47 rifles were reportedly carted away before the facility was destroyed with explosives.
He was also linked to the July 28, 2022, attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja–Zuba Road in Niger State, which claimed the lives of several soldiers, security personnel and civilians.
Other attacks attributed to the slain ISWAP commander included the July 11, 2022, assault on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja; the April 23, 2022, attack on Ogaminana Police Station in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, which resulted in the death of five police officers; and the February 7, 2022, attack on the Okene Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force.
The sources further alleged that Ohida masterminded the December 24, 2020, attack on a naval checkpoint in Okene, Kogi State, which claimed the lives of two naval officer
A security source described his elimination as a significant setback for ISWAP's leadership structure, operational network and expansion plans in central and southern Nigeria.
The source added that the operation, coming months after the reported killing of ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki, would further weaken the group's efforts to expand its presence in the country.
The source also commended the security agencies for their intelligence-gathering capabilities and growing operational effectiveness in combating terrorism.
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