Security forces have reportedly disrupted an alleged Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) plan to launch attacks in parts of southern Nigeria ahead of the Yuletide season, following the killing of a senior commander of the terrorist group in Ondo State.
The operation, conducted yesterday in Owo Forest, involved troops of the Nigerian Army, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun.
The ISWAP commander, identified as Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar, was killed during the intelligence-led operation, according to security sources.
Several other suspected members of the group were also reportedly killed when the joint team raided their hideout in the forest.
Security sources said the operation was triggered by intelligence indicating that Ohida was coordinating plans to carry out attacks in some southern states during the approaching festive period.
The reported targeting of the Yuletide season raises fresh security concerns over the movement of suspected terrorist elements from established theatres of insurgency into other parts of the country.
The operation in Owo Forest also underscores the role of intelligence gathering and inter-agency coordination in identifying and disrupting suspected terrorist networks before attacks are carried out.
Ohida was described by the sources as a senior ISWAP figure who had been operating from the forest area.
His death, according to the security sources, represents a significant setback to the group’s reported activities in the area and its alleged plans to extend attacks into southern states.
The joint forces were said to have taken the suspects by surprise during the operation, limiting their ability to mount resistance or escape from the hideout.
The development comes as security agencies intensify surveillance and operations against criminal and terrorist groups across the country, particularly as increased movement of people is expected during the end-of-year festivities.
However, details of the identities of the other suspects killed in the operation and the specific southern states allegedly targeted were not immediately disclosed.
Security authorities have yet to publicly provide further details on the weapons, communication equipment or other materials recovered from the hideout.
The operation nevertheless places renewed focus on the need for sustained intelligence-led security operations in forest corridors that could provide cover for terrorist or criminal groups seeking to establish footholds outside their traditional areas of operation.
