Nigerian security forces have killed an Islamic State West Africa Province commander identified as Abdussamad Ohida in a forest in Ondo State, according to Channels Television. The operation was carried out jointly by the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services and the Amotekun corps, the outlet reported.
Channels Television reported that the operation was conducted with support from the United Kingdom. The Guardian Nigeria and Premium Times also reported the killing, with Premium Times describing the operation as aided by the UK.
The Nigerian Army confirmed the killing of the ISWAP leader in Ondo, according to Punch Newspapers. Sahara Reporters reported that Ohida was killed amid what it described as a plot to attack southern Nigeria.
The reports do not provide further detail on the circumstances of the operation, the exact location within the forest, or the date on which it took place. The accounts also do not specify the nature of the UK's role.
The killing marks another operation against ISWAP leadership in Nigeria's southern region, though the available reports give no additional context on earlier operations or on the group's presence in Ondo.
What to watch next: whether the Nigerian Army releases further details on the operation and on any other suspected ISWAP figures in the region.
