A coordinated security operation involving the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, has reportedly killed a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Ondo State.
The operation took place at a forest location in Owo during the weekend, where security personnel reportedly launched a surprise assault on a hideout belonging to the terrorist group.
The ISWAP commander was identified as Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar. Security sources said several other members of the group were also killed during the operation.
Ohida reportedly led ISWAP activities in southern Nigeria
According to security sources cited by Nigerian media, Ohida had become a senior figure within ISWAP’s network in parts of the North-Central and southern regions.
He was reportedly a deputy to Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who previously headed the group’s Central Nigeria operations before his arrest by the DSS in 2023.
Following Ikrimah’s arrest, Ohida allegedly assumed a leadership position and became involved in coordinating ISWAP activities across parts of central and southern Nigeria.
Security sources said intelligence obtained after the arrest of Abu Uwais helped authorities identify Ohida and monitor his activities.
Intelligence reportedly uncovered planned attacks
Sources said the security agencies had received information indicating that Ohida was allegedly preparing attacks against civilians during the forthcoming festive period.
The same intelligence reportedly pointed to plans to cause disruption ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
According to the sources, the information was subsequently corroborated by intelligence partners in the United Kingdom before the operation in Owo was carried out.
The reported operation therefore came as security agencies continued efforts to prevent armed groups from establishing stronger operational networks outside Nigeria’s traditional conflict hotspots.
Several previous attacks attributed to Ohida
Security sources also linked Ohida to a number of attacks on police and military facilities in different parts of Nigeria.
Among those mentioned was the December 31, 2025 attack on the Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo. Sources alleged that the attackers took eight AK-47 rifles before the facility was destroyed with explosives.
Ohida was also reportedly linked by security sources to a July 2022 attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja-Zuba Road in Niger State.
Other incidents attributed to him included the July 2022 attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the April 2022 assault on Ogaminana Police Station in Kogi State and an earlier attack on the Okene Area Command police station.
Sources further alleged that he was involved in a December 2020 attack on a naval checkpoint in Okene, Kogi State, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of two naval officers.
These allegations were contained in accounts provided by security sources and have not been independently established in the reports reviewed.
Operation could affect ISWAP’s southern expansion
The reported death of Ohida could have implications for ISWAP’s efforts to establish or strengthen its presence in southern Nigeria.
A security source described the development as a disruption to the group’s command structure and operational network, particularly in areas outside its traditional strongholds.
The source also linked the development to the reported killing of another senior Islamic State figure, Abu Bilal al-Minuki, saying the two developments could create additional pressure on the group’s efforts to expand its activities.
Security agencies maintain pressure on armed groups
The operation in Owo highlights the continued collaboration among Nigeria’s conventional security agencies and regional security organisations in tackling terrorism and other armed threats.
The involvement of Amotekun is particularly notable because the regional security network operates across the South-West, where authorities have repeatedly expressed concern about criminal groups and the possible spread of terrorist activities.
For residents of Ondo and neighbouring states, preventing armed groups from establishing forest bases remains a major security priority.
While the reported death of Ohida represents a significant development, the wider security situation remains complex, and authorities will still face the challenge of preventing other commanders or cells from filling any leadership vacuum created by the operation.
