The Nigerian military has identified several senior leaders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) following a major intelligence breakthrough during ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the Lake Chad region of Borno State.
The Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, disclosed that the breakthrough followed recent successful offensive operations against ISWAP/ISIS terrorists operating in northern Borno.
Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said troops recovered several technical devices and other high-value intelligence materials, including a camcorder used by the terrorists to record propaganda videos and document their operations.
He explained that forensic exploitation of the recovered devices generated actionable intelligence, enabling security forces to identify terrorist hideouts and several senior ISWAP commanders operating within the Mangari–Metele–Dogon Chukun axis along the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin in Abadam and Kukawa Local Government Areas of Borno State.
According to the military, those identified include Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, described as the Wali (Governor) of ISIS West Africa Province; his deputy and Amirul Jaish, Muhammad Jidda, also known as “The One-Handed Man”; and Hamad Abu Hanifa, identified as the Amirul-Fiya of ISWAP, among other key operatives.
Operation HADIN KAI said Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa remains the most wanted ISWAP leader operating within the Lake Chad Basin and announced that a substantial financial reward would be offered to anyone whose credible and actionable information leads to his arrest.
The military, however, cautioned members of the public against confronting or attempting to arrest any of the suspected terrorists, stressing that such information should be left to security agencies for appropriate action.
