A senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abdussamad Ohida, has been killed in a surprise raid on his forest hideout in Owo, Ondo State, by a joint team of the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Western Nigeria Security Network, also known as Amotekun.
Security sources said the intelligence-led operation took place at the weekend. Ohida, also known as Anwar, was reportedly preparing large-scale attacks in some southern states. Many members of his group were killed alongside him.
The sources explained that Ohida once served as deputy to Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who led ISWAP’s Central Nigeria cell until the DSS arrested him in 2023.
After the arrest, Ohida took over the group’s activities across parts of the North Central and southern regions, where he played a key role in planning, coordinating and carrying out attacks.
According to the sources, information obtained from Abu Uwais during interrogation gave the DSS credible intelligence on Ohida’s plan to target civilians during the coming Yuletide season.
“The plan was to attack civilians during the festive period and ultimately disrupt the 2027 general elections. This intelligence was corroborated by partners from the United Kingdom, who supported the operation,” one of the sources said.
The source linked Ohida to a string of attacks, including the 31 December 2025 invasion of Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo, where the attackers carted away eight AK-47 rifles and destroyed the building with explosives.
He was also blamed for the 28 July 2022 attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja-Zuba Road in Niger State, which left several soldiers, officers and civilians dead.
Other attacks attributed to him include the 11 July 2022 assault on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the 23 April 2022 attack on Ogaminana Police Station in Adavi LGA, Kogi State, in which five police officers died, and the 7 February 2022 attack on the Okene Area Command police station.
The source added that Ohida planned and carried out the 24 December 2020 attack on a naval checkpoint in Okene, Kogi State, which killed two naval officers, in addition to several other attacks across the country.
“We may not immediately realize it, but the elimination of Abdussamad Ohida represents a significant disruption to ISWAP’s leadership structure, operational network and expansion efforts in central and southern Nigeria,” the source said.
He noted that the killing, which comes a few months after that of ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki, is a major blow to ISWAP’s efforts to expand its presence in Nigeria and shows the growing efficiency of the country’s security services.
