NIGERIA · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —The country Nigeria has fought Islamist insurgents for years, mostly in Borno State in the far north-east, near Lake Chad.
- —What happened Army, intelligence and Amotekun forces killed Abdussamad Ohida, a senior leader of ISWAP, in Owo forest at the weekend.
- —Who he was Security sources say he led the group’s activities in parts of central and southern Nigeria after his superior’s 2023 arrest.
- —Why it matters Ondo is in the south-west, at the other end of the country from the group’s Lake Chad base.
- —The alleged plot Sources say he planned attacks on civilians over Christmas, aimed at disrupting the 2027 general elections.
- —The catch The army has confirmed the Ondo raid only briefly and has not said how many people died.
Nigerian forces have killed a senior commander of Islamic State’s West African branch in an Ondo raid at the weekend. Security sources named him as Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar.
The group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), is strongest near Lake Chad in the far north-east. Ohida was killed in a forest in the south-west, far from that base.
How the Raid in Owo Forest Unfolded
Three forces took part. The Nigerian Army sent troops, and the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria’s domestic security service, sent operatives.
The third was Amotekun, the Western Nigeria Security Network. The governors of Nigeria’s six south-western states launched it in January 2020.
The team raided a hideout in Owo forest, according to security sources quoted by Nigerian newspapers. Several other members of the group were killed alongside Ohida.
The Ondo raid took place at the weekend, reportedly on Sunday 4 October. Owo is a town in Ondo State, whose capital is Akure.
On Monday 5 October, the army confirmed the joint operation, the Nigerian news site Witness NGR reported. Major Innocent Olamale speaks for the army’s 32 Artillery Brigade in Akure.
“Yes, it was a joint operation which intelligently led to the execution of the ISWAP commander,” he said. He gave no further details.
Who Abdussamad Ohida Was, According to Security Sources
Sources say Ohida was once deputy to Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais. Abu Ikrimah led the group’s operations in central Nigeria until the DSS arrested him in 2023.
After that arrest, Ohida reportedly took charge of the group’s activity in parts of north-central and southern Nigeria. Sources say he planned and coordinated attacks there.
Questioning of Abu Uwais helped the DSS uncover a plan to attack civilians over the Christmas season, one source said. The same source said the plot aimed to disrupt the 2027 general elections.
The source linked Ohida to the July 2022 attack on Kuje Correctional Centre, a prison in Abuja, the capital. He also tied him to a 31 December 2025 attack on the police station at Ipele, in Owo.
Attackers took eight AK-47 rifles from that station, according to the source. Other attacks credited to Ohida hit police and military posts in Kogi and Niger states between 2020 and 2022.
These accounts come from unnamed security officials quoted by several Nigerian newspapers.
Why a Raid in Ondo Matters
The Islamic State affiliate split from Boko Haram and has its stronghold in Borno State. Owo lies in the south-west, the region that also includes Lagos.
Owo has suffered before: in June 2022, an attack on St Francis Catholic Church killed at least 40 worshippers. Nigeria’s federal government blamed ISWAP.
In October 2025, the DSS warned in a memo that the group planned attacks on communities in Ondo and Kogi states. The memo, reported by Vanguard, named Owo as a possible target.
A security source called Ohida’s death a very big blow to the group’s efforts to expand in Nigeria. In the north-east, Gombe State’s governor says Boko Haram is weakened but not defeated.
Another Blow After Al-Minuki
The Ondo raid follows the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior Islamic State figure, in May 2026. Nigeria’s presidency called it a joint Nigerian-American operation.
One source said British intelligence partners corroborated the information on Ohida and supported the operation. The source gave no details of the British role.
What It Means for US Readers
The US State Department rates Nigeria at Level 3, “Reconsider travel”, citing crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping and uneven access to health care. Its advisory was issued on 12 June 2026.
Ondo is not on the Level 4 “Do Not Travel” list, but neighbouring Kogi State is. The advisory warns that terrorists may attack with little or no warning, including places of worship, markets and hotels.
For policy readers, the raid follows a joint Nigerian-American operation in May and, one source says, used British intelligence. It fits Nigeria’s wider security ties with Western powers.
For investors, the alleged target of the plot stands out. Sources say it was meant to disrupt the 2027 general elections.
What Is Not Known
The army’s brief confirmation did not say how many people died in the Ondo raid. It also did not say what was recovered or how Ohida was identified.
Many details of the Ondo raid rest on unnamed sources, including the list of past attacks and the Christmas plot. It is also unclear whether the group will name a successor in the region.
More: Nigeria news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
What is ISWAP?
ISWAP stands for Islamic State West Africa Province, the Islamic State group’s branch in the region. It split from Boko Haram and is strongest in Borno State, near Lake Chad.
Who was Abdussamad Ohida?
Security sources describe him as a senior ISWAP leader, also known as Anwar. They say he led the group’s activities in parts of central and southern Nigeria after his superior’s arrest in 2023.
What are the DSS and Amotekun?
The DSS, or Department of State Services, is Nigeria’s domestic security service. Amotekun is a regional security corps that the six south-western states launched in 2020.
Did the army confirm the Ondo raid?
Yes, briefly. A spokesman for the army’s brigade in Akure confirmed the joint operation on Monday 5 October, Witness NGR reported. He gave no casualty figures.
Is Ondo State on the US Do Not Travel list?
No. The US State Department advises Americans to reconsider travel to Nigeria as a whole. Neighbouring Kogi State is on its Level 4 Do Not Travel list.
Sources: The Guardian Nigeria, 5 October 2026; Vanguard, 5 October 2026; Punch, 5 October 2026; Witness NGR, 5 October 2026; Vanguard (DSS memo), 21 October 2025; State House, Abuja, 16 May 2026; US State Department, 12 June 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief