Security forces have killed a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, identified as Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar, during an intelligence-driven operation in Owo Forest, Ondo State.

The operation, conducted at the weekend, involved personnel of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, DSS, and the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun.

Security sources said Ohida was killed alongside several other members of the terrorist group after the joint team launched a surprise assault on the group’s hideout.

The sources described Ohida as a key figure in ISWAP’s operations across parts of the North-Central and southern regions of Nigeria, saying he had been preparing to launch attacks in some southern states.

Ohida reportedly served as deputy to the former ISWAP Central Nigeria commander, Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who was arrested by the DSS in 2023.

Following Ikrimah’s arrest, Ohida allegedly took over the coordination of ISWAP activities in parts of the country and became involved in the planning and execution of several terrorist attacks.

According to the sources, intelligence obtained during the interrogation of Abu Uwais helped the DSS uncover plans attributed to Ohida to attack civilians during the forthcoming Yuletide period.

One of the sources said the planned attacks were also intended to cause disruption ahead of the 2027 general elections, adding that the intelligence was independently corroborated by security partners in the United Kingdom.

The source further linked Ohida to several attacks, including the December 31, 2025, assault on Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo, Ondo State, where several AK-47 rifles were reportedly stolen before explosives were used to destroy the facility.

He was also accused of involvement in the July 28, 2022, attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja-Zuba Road in Niger State, which claimed the lives of soldiers, security personnel and civilians.

Other attacks attributed to him include 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, where five police officers were killed; and the February 7, 2022, attack on the Okene Area Command police station.

The source also alleged that Ohida planned and executed the December 24, 2020, attack on a naval checkpoint in Okene, Kogi State, which resulted in the deaths of two naval personnel.

The source described Ohida’s death as a major setback for ISWAP, particularly its leadership structure, operational network and attempts to establish a stronger presence in central and southern Nigeria.

Ohida’s elimination, coming months after the reported killing of ISIS commander Abu Bilal al-Minuki, was described as another significant blow to the terrorist group’s expansion efforts in Nigeria.