Joint Army, DSS and Amotekun operation kills ISWAP commander in Ondo forest

Security forces said they killed a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during an intelligence-led operation in a forest in Owo, Ondo State.

Multiple outlets identified the deceased as Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar. The operation involved personnel from the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun.

Operation and location

Reports say the operation was intelligence-led and took place over the weekend in a forest in Owo, in the northern part of Ondo State. Daily Trust reported the killing occurred on Sunday and attributed details to Innocent Olamale, a spokesperson for the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army.

Channels TV and Vanguard said the security forces conducted a surprise attack on the group’s forest hideout. Channels TV added that Ohida and several members of the group were killed during the raid.

Threat assessment and significance

Vanguard and Channels TV reported that Ohida had been planning terrorist attacks, with Channels TV saying he was on the verge of plotting large-scale strikes in some southern states. Those accounts indicate the operation removed a figure security services described as preparing attacks in the region.

The joint action underscores cooperation between federal security agencies and the regional Amotekun force in confronting armed extremist groups operating in southern and forested areas. Removing a senior ISWAP commander from a hideout in Ondo is likely to be presented by security officials as a tactical success against the group’s capacity to strike in the south, though none of the reports provided an assessment of the broader impact on ISWAP’s operations.

What sources say and what is not yet public

All outlets reporting the incident agreed that security forces killed Abdussamad Ohida in Owo forest and that the operation involved the Army, DSS and Amotekun. Channels TV and Vanguard said the operation was intelligence-led and indicated the commander was planning attacks; Channels TV uniquely reported that many members of the organisation were also killed. Daily Trust named the Army’s 32 Artillery Brigade spokesperson, Innocent Olamale, as a source for the account that the strike occurred on Sunday.

None of the reports cited official casualty figures beyond references to Ohida and, in one case, “many members” killed. Details such as the identities of other fighters, any detainees taken, recovered weapons or explosives, and an official consolidated statement from the participating security agencies were not included in the accounts available.

Security developments in Ondo and other southern states will likely be monitored closely for any further information from the Army, the DSS or Amotekun about the operation’s outcomes or follow-up measures to prevent retaliatory attacks.