Abdussamad Ohida, a top leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), was murdered in an intelligence-led operation by a joint team of Nigerian Army soldiers, Department of State Services (DSS) officials, and the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun.
According to security reports, Ohida, also known as Anwar, was murdered together with some other terrorist gang members during a surprise attack on their base in Owo Forest, Ondo State, over the weekend.
According to the reports, when security forces initiated the operation, Ohida was preparing significant terrorist assaults in areas of southern Nigeria.
Ohida reportedly served as deputy to the former ISWAP Central Nigeria leader, Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who was arrested by the DSS in 2023.
Following Ikrimah’s arrest, Ohida assumed leadership of ISWAP activities across parts of North-Central and southern Nigeria, where he allegedly played a key role in planning, coordinating and executing terrorist operations, the sources said.
According to the sources, intelligence obtained from the interrogation of Abu Uwais helped the DSS uncover Ohida’s plans to attack civilians during the forthcoming Yuletide.
“The plan was to attack civilians during the festive period and ultimately disrupt the 2027 general elections. This intelligence was corroborated by intelligence partners from the United Kingdom, who supported the elimination operation,” one of the sources said.
The source also attributed several past attacks to Ohida, including the December 31, 2025, invasion of Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo, Ondo State, where the attackers reportedly carted away eight AK-47 rifles before destroying the station with explosives.
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He also linked Ohida to the July 28, 2022, attack on the Suleja–Zuba Road military checkpoint in Niger State, in which several soldiers, officers and civilians were killed.
Other attacks attributed to him included the July 11, 2022, assault on Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja; the April 23, 2022, attack on Ogaminana Police Station in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, which left five police officers dead; and the February 7, 2022, attack on the Okene Area Command police station.
“The terrorist planned and executed the December 24, 2020, attack on a naval checkpoint in Okene, Kogi State, which resulted in the death of two naval officers, not to mention the several attacks he launched across parts of the country,” the source added.
Another source said Ohida’s killing would significantly disrupt ISWAP’s leadership structure, operational network and expansion efforts in central and southern Nigeria.
“Ohida’s elimination, coming a few months after the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki, is a very big blow to ISWAP’s efforts to expand its operational presence in Nigeria and underscores the growing efficiency of our security services,” he said.
