A joint operation involving the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and Amotekun has reportedly killed a senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander in Owo forest, Ondo State.
Security sources said Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar, was killed alongside several other suspected members of the terrorist group during a surprise assault on their forest hideout at the weekend. The operation was reportedly intelligence-led and followed information about alleged plans by the group to carry out attacks in parts of southern Nigeria during the festive period.
According to the 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 allegedly took over ISWAP activities across parts of the North-Central and southern regions, where security sources accused him of helping to plan and coordinate terrorist operations.
The sources said intelligence obtained through the interrogation of Abu Uwais helped security agencies uncover an alleged plan to attack civilians during the Yuletide and disrupt the 2027 general elections. They added that intelligence partners in the United Kingdom also supported the operation.
Ohida Linked to Previous Attacks
Security sources further accused Ohida of involvement in several attacks in Nigeria. They linked him to the December 31, 2025, attack on the Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo, during which attackers allegedly stole eight AK-47 rifles before destroying the station with explosives.
He was also linked by the sources to an attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja-Zuba Road in Niger State on July 28, 2022, in which soldiers, other security personnel and civilians were killed.
Other attacks attributed to him included 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 Nigerian government had previously designated a man named Abdulsamat AbdulKareem Ohida as a senior ISWAP commander operating around Okene and linked him to the June 2022 St Francis Catholic Church attack in Owo and the July 2022 Kuje Correctional Centre attack. The official sanctions record uses a slightly different spelling from the “Abdussamad Ohida” name used in current security reports.
Security sources described the latest operation as a significant disruption to ISWAP’s leadership and efforts to expand its presence into central and southern Nigeria. The reported killing comes months after the reported death of ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki, which security officials have also described as a setback for Islamic State-linked operations in Nigeria.
The claims about Ohida’s role in the listed attacks and the alleged planned future attacks have been attributed to security sources and have not been independently established in court.
