Troops Kill ISWAP Second-in-Command, 10 Others in Sambisa Forest

Linus Aleke in Abuja

Troops of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have recorded a major operational breakthrough with the killing of a senior Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) leader, Abu Khalid, identified as the group’s second-in-command in the Sambisa Forest, alongside 10 other terrorists during a coordinated night operation in Borno State.

The success, according to a statement by the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, followed a fierce engagement between troops of Sector 1 and terrorists in the Komala general area of Konduga Local Government Area at about 11:00 p.m.

The operation was carried out in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) under Operation Desert Sanity.

Lieutenant Colonel Uba disclosed that Abu Khalid was a high-value target within the terrorist hierarchy, responsible for coordinating operations and logistics across the Sambisa axis.

His neutralisation, he said, represents a significant disruption to the group’s command structure.

The operation came barely 24 hours after troops eliminated another notorious ISWAP commander, Julaibib, during a separate encounter within the Gujba axis of the Timbuktu Triangle.

Military intelligence indicates that the successive losses have thrown terrorist elements in the area into disarray.

Following the Sambisa engagement, troops recovered five AK-47 rifles, magazines, several bicycles, assorted logistics and food items, as well as a large cache of medical supplies.No casualties were recorded among the troops.

Troops’ morale remains high as clearance operations continue across the Sambisa Forest, Mandara Mountains, Timbuktu Triangle, and other known terrorist enclaves in the North-East region.

The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the tempo of operations until all terrorist elements are neutralised and lasting peace and economic stability are restored.

In related operations across the theatre, OPHK troops recorded additional successes against insurgents and criminal elements.

On 30 January 2026, troops eliminated ISWAP commander Julaibib during a fierce firefight around Kimba in Damboa Local Government Area. Further intelligence assessments revealed that several terrorists were also killed during the encounter, dealing a significant blow to the group’s operational capacity.

Similarly, troops, working alongside the CJTF, neutralised three terrorists during a well-coordinated ambush between Ngazalgana and Lamusheri communities in Borno State, following credible intelligence on insurgent movements.

Two AK-47 rifles were recovered, while surviving terrorists fled with gunshot wounds.Another ambush at Tsokorok in Gwoza Local Government Area on 29 January 2026 forced Boko Haram and ISWAP elements to retreat, with one insurgent neutralised and two motorcycles recovered.

Beyond Borno State, OPHK troops also recorded notable successes in Adamawa State.

On 29 January 2026, troops responded swiftly to a distress call from Barama community in Mubi North Local Government Area, foiling an attempted armed robbery and arresting two suspects. Items recovered included cutlasses, laptops, mobile phones and a power bank. One suspect who sustained a gunshot wound was treated at the Federal Medical Centre, Mubi, before being handed over to the Nigeria Police.

Earlier, on 28 January 2026, troops, in collaboration with local vigilantes, conducted a fighting patrol along the Amtasa–Washim axis in Hong Local Government Area.

During the patrol, they engaged terrorists, rescued an abducted woman, and recovered weapons and ammunition.