Joint Army, DSS, Amotekun Operation Kills ISWAP Commander in Ondo Forest

A joint security operation involving the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, has reportedly eliminated a senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander, Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar, in Owo, Ondo State.

Security sources said Ohida was killed alongside several other suspected terrorists during a surprise raid on a terrorist hideout in the forests of Owo over the weekend.

The operation, according to intelligence sources, disrupted plans for a series of large-scale attacks allegedly being planned across southern states ahead of the festive period and the 2027 general elections.

Ohida was reportedly a former second-in-command to Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who previously led ISWAP’s Central Nigeria network before his arrest by the DSS in 2023.

Following Ikrimah’s arrest, Ohida allegedly assumed leadership of the network and coordinated operational planning, logistics and attacks across parts of North-Central and Southern Nigeria.

Intelligence gathered from detained operatives, alongside information provided by United Kingdom intelligence partners involved in the tracking operation, reportedly linked Ohida to several attacks in recent years.

Among the incidents attributed to the group was the December 31, 2025 attack on the Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo, where the attackers reportedly seized eight AK-47 rifles before destroying the facility with explosives.

He was also allegedly linked to the July 2022 attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja and an attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja–Zuba Road in Niger State, also in July 2022.

The latest operation is said to have dealt a significant blow to the terrorist network’s activities in the region, with security agencies continuing efforts to track down other members and prevent planned attacks.