Military Airstrikes Eliminate Top ISWAP Leader, Ba’a Shuwa, Other Terrorists

The Nigerian military has eliminated the leader of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorist group in Nigeria, Ba’a Shuwa, and scores of his fighters, during a major offensive in Borno State.

Ba’a Shuwa was the ISWAP leader of the Nigerian Wylayat, Lake Chad, Kwalfarji, Timbuktu Farouq and Sambisa Mantika of the ISIS-affiliated ISWAP terrorists.

According to information obtained from intelligence sources by Zagazola Makama, a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region, which was made available to our correspondent on Friday, the airstrikes carried out on Tuesday, January 2, 2023, at Kwatan Dilla, in Abadam local government area of the State, led to killing of Ba’a Shuwa including scores of his fighters.

The sources, according to Makama, added that the exploitation after the strikes showcased footage of enemy elements and equipment neutralised in the offensive.

“Shuwa was appointed in 2021 after Abubakar Shekau killed himself. He was Commanding terrorists in Chiralia, Markas Kauwa, Abirma, Buk, Abulam, Dusula, Abbagajiri, Gorgore and many other camps within the Timbuktu and Alagarno axis in the South of Borno.

“Some of his top Commanding Officers included; Khaid Hanzala, Ba’a Idirisa, Rawana, Abou Ibrahim, Mallam Abubakar, Abou Aisha and Abou Khalid, who was responsible for the recent attack on the electricity towers along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.

“Ba’a Shuwa and his group of terrorists are mostly responsible for attacks, ambushes and IEDs/mines towards Damboa roads, Damaturu-Maiduguri, Askira, Buratai, Buni Yadi, Buni Gari, Gaidam and other parts of Borno and Yobe States.

“The terrorists hibernate in highly fortified hideouts under thick foliage and rocks properly concealed and camouflaged in order to evade airstrikes within the Timbuktu Triangle,” said the sources.