By John Moses
Nigerian military forces have killed a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Malam Jidda, along with numerous fighters during a combined air and ground operation in the country’s volatile north-east, the army confirmed on Tuesday.
The operation, carried out under Operation Hadin Kai, took place on 9 June in the Ngazalgana area of Gujba Local Government Area in Yobe State, with support from the Nigerian Air Force. According to a statement from Captain Reuben Kovangiya, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Jidda was the ISWAP leader for the Ngorgore and Malumti villages.
“Malam Jidda met his end during a direct engagement with our troops, who outmatched the insurgents with overwhelming firepower,” the army said in the statement issued from Maiduguri.
In follow-up actions in the Timbuktu Triangle of Borno State, troops ambushed retreating terrorists, resulting in further casualties. Several insurgents are believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds.
The military also reported success in the Mallamfatori area of Abadam Local Government Area, where recent offensives uncovered more insurgent bodies and a cache of weapons and supplies. Recovered materials include AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade tubes, ammunition, motorcycles, radios, and other combat gear.
The army stressed that the operation highlights the growing effectiveness of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism campaign in the region, aided by coordinated intelligence and airstrikes.
“The Theatre Command remains fully committed to eradicating Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents and restoring long-term stability to the North-East,” the statement read.
ISWAP, a splinter faction of Boko Haram, continues to wage a deadly insurgency across parts of northern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, leading to tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions since 2009.
