A suspected senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar, has been killed during a Joint Task Force security operation in a forest in Owo, Ondo State.
Ohida was reportedly killed at the weekend by a combined team of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, during an intelligence-driven operation targeting a suspected ISWAP hideout.
Security sources said the operation disrupted alleged plans by the terrorist group to launch attacks in parts of southern Nigeria during the forthcoming festive period.
According to the sources, Ohida previously served as deputy to the ISWAP commander for Central Nigeria, Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who was arrested by the DSS in 2023.
Following Ikrimah’s arrest, Ohida allegedly assumed responsibility for ISWAP operations across parts of the North-Central and southern regions, where he reportedly coordinated attacks and other terrorist activities.
The sources said intelligence obtained during the interrogation of Abu Uwais helped security agencies uncover alleged plans by Ohida to attack civilians during the Yuletide and cause disruption ahead of the 2027 general elections.
One of the sources said intelligence shared by international partners, including the United Kingdom, further corroborated the threat assessment and contributed to the successful operation.
The source also linked Ohida to several major attacks across the country, including the December 31, 2025, attack on the Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo, where eight AK-47 rifles were reportedly stolen before the facility was destroyed with explosives.
Ohida was also alleged to have participated in the July 28, 2022, attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja-Zuba Road in Niger State and the July 11, 2022, assault on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
He was further linked to attacks on police formations in Ogaminana and Okene in Kogi State.
The source attributed to the suspected ISWAP commander the December 24, 2020, attack on a naval checkpoint in Okene, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of two naval officers, as well as other attacks in different parts of the country.
Reacting to the development, the source described Ohida’s death as a major setback to ISWAP’s leadership structure and its alleged efforts to establish a stronger operational presence in Central and Southern Nigeria.
The source said, “The elimination of Abdussamad Ohida represents a significant disruption to ISWAP’s leadership structure, operational network and expansion efforts in central and southern Nigeria.
“Ohida’s elimination, coming a few months after the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki, is a very big blow to ISWAP’s efforts to expand its operational presence in Nigeria and underscores the growing efficiency of our security services.”