The Nigerian military successfully carried out major airstrikes in the North East of Borno, reportedly eliminating Ba’a Shuwa, the leader of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the country, along with numerous fighters.
The airstrikes, conducted on January 2, 2023, at Kwatan Dilla in Abadam LGA of Borno State, were said to have inflicted significant damage.
Ba’a Shuwa held the position of ISWAP Leader of the Nigerian Wylayat, overseeing Lake Chad, Kwalfarji, Timbuktu Farouq, and Sambisa Mantika for the ISIS-affiliated group.
Intelligence sources revealed that the strikes led to the demise of Ba’a Shuwa and several of his fighters, as evidenced by exploitation footage showcasing the neutralization of enemy elements and equipment.
Appointed in 2021 after the death of Abubakar Shekau, Ba’a Shuwa commanded terrorists in various camps within the Timbuktu and Alagarno axis in the South of Borno.
His operational areas included Chiralia, Markas Kauwa, Abirma, Buk, Abulam, Dusula, Abbagajiri, Gorgore, among others.
Top Commanding Officers under Ba’a Shuwa’s leadership included Khaid Hanzala, Ba’a Idirisa, Rawana, Abou Ibrahim, Mallam Abubakar, Abou Aisha, and Abou Khalid, responsible for a recent attack on the electricity towers along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.
Ba’a Shuwa’s group of terrorists was primarily responsible for various attacks, ambushes, and IED/mine incidents targeting roads in Damboa, Damaturu-Maiduguri, Askira, Buratai, Buni Yadi, Buni Gari, Gaidam, and other parts of Borno and Yobe States.
The terrorists operated from highly fortified hideouts concealed under thick foliage and rocks within the Timbuktu Triangle. As of now, the Nigerian military has not officially confirmed this development.
