Army, DSS, Amotekun Kill Senior ISWAP Leader in Ondo Forest

A senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander, Abdussamad Ohida, has been killed during an intelligence-led operation by the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and Amotekun in Owo forest, Ondo State. Security sources said the operation took place at the weekend.

Ohida, also known as Anwar, was reportedly killed alongside several other members of the terrorist group after security forces launched a surprise operation on their forest hideout. The sources said he had become a key figure in ISWAP activities across parts of North-Central and southern Nigeria following the arrest of his former superior, Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, in 2023.

According to the security sources, intelligence obtained through the interrogation of Abu Uwais helped the DSS uncover alleged plans by Ohida to attack civilians during the forthcoming festive period. They further claimed that the planned attacks were intended to disrupt the 2027 general elections. The sources said the intelligence was also corroborated by United Kingdom security partners who supported the operation.

The sources also attributed several previous attacks to Ohida. These include the December 31, 2025 attack on Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo, where eight AK-47 rifles were reportedly taken before the station was destroyed with explosives. He was also linked by the sources to a July 2022 attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja-Zuba Road in Niger State.

Other attacks attributed to him include the July 2022 assault on Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the April 2022 attack on Ogaminana Police Station in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, and the February 2022 attack on the Okene Area Command police station. The sources also linked him to a December 2020 attack on a naval checkpoint in Okene, which reportedly killed two naval officers.

The security sources said Ohida had previously served as deputy to Abu Uwais before taking a more prominent role in the group’s operations. His reported death comes as Nigerian security agencies continue efforts to disrupt terrorist networks seeking to establish or expand operations in parts of southern Nigeria.

The sources described the operation as a major disruption to ISWAP’s leadership and operational network in central and southern Nigeria. However, the allegations concerning Ohida’s role in the listed attacks and the reported plans for future attacks remain claims attributed to security sources.