The Nigerian Army has declared two senior leaders of the Islamic State West Africa Province wanted, placing a combined bounty of N60 million on them over their alleged roles in terrorist operations across the Lake Chad Basin.
The Punch reported that the wanted suspects are ISWAP governor, Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, who has a N50 million reward on his head, and his deputy, Muhammad Jidda, for whom the military is offering N10 million for credible information leading to his arrest.
According to the military, the identities of the suspects were uncovered after forensic analysis of technical devices recovered during recent operations against ISWAP in the Lake Chad region.
The Acting Military Information Officer of the Northeast Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, announced the development in a statement issued on Wednesday.
He said the breakthrough followed successful military offensives in the Lake Chad region, where troops recovered several intelligence materials, including a camcorder allegedly used by ISWAP members to record propaganda videos and document their operations.
The statement read, “Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) has recorded another significant breakthrough following recent successful offensive operations against ISWAP/ISIS terrorists in the Lake Chad region of Northern Borno State.”
Goni explained that investigators extracted valuable intelligence from the recovered devices, which led to the identification of terrorist hideouts and key commanders operating around the Mangari–Metele–Dogon Chukun corridor on the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin in Abadam and Kukawa Local Government Areas of Borno State.
He said, “Subsequent forensic exploitation of the recovered devices generated actionable intelligence, leading to the identification of locations associated with terrorist activities as well as identities of several senior ISWAP leaders 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.
“The identified terrorist leaders and key operatives include Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa – Wali (Governor of ISIS West Africa Province), his Deputy/Amirul Jaish Muhammad Jidda (“The One-Handed Man”) and Hamad Abu Hanifa, the Amirul-Fiya of ISWAP, among others,” he said.
The spokesman further identified Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa as the most wanted ISWAP commander operating within the Lake Chad Basin and appealed to members of the public to assist security agencies with useful information.
“The military will offer a substantial financial reward to any individual whose credible and actionable information directly leads to his arrest,” he said.
Goni assured potential informants that their identities would remain protected.
“Operation Hadin Kai urges members of the public to support ongoing counter-terrorism efforts by providing credible and timely information that could assist security agencies in locating and apprehending these suspected terrorist operatives,” he stated.
He also advised residents against attempting to confront the suspects and urged them to channel any useful information through established security reporting platforms or by calling 07084988859.
“Citizens are strongly advised not to confront or attempt to apprehend the suspected terrorists under any circumstances,” he said.
