Troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces have neutralised a senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander, Abdussamad Ohida, during a joint security operation in Owo Forest, Ondo State.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Friday during a monthly operational briefing with defence correspondents.

Onoja said the operation was carried out on October 2, 2026, by a joint team of security personnel targeting terrorist elements operating in the forest.

He identified Ohida as the deputy to ISWAP’s leader in Central Nigeria, adding that he took over the group’s leadership following the arrest of its former leader by the Department of State Services in 2023.

The Defence spokesman said Ohida was among several terrorists neutralised during the operation. He also alleged that the commander was involved in planning large-scale attacks on civilians in several states during the forthcoming festive season.

Onoja described the operation as a major breakthrough in efforts to disrupt ISWAP’s leadership structure and prevent planned attacks.

He said the military would sustain operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and preventing threats to communities across the country.