Military Airstrikes Kills ISWAP Leader, Ba’a Shuwa

During a significant attack in Borno State, the Nigerian military killed Ba’a Shuwa, the commander of the terrorist organization Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Nigeria, along with a large number of his fighters.

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

Our correspondent received information on Friday from Zagazola Makama, a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region, based on intelligence sources. She stated that on Tuesday, January 2, 2023, airstrikes at Kwatan Dilla, in the Abadam local government area of the State, resulted in the death of Ba’a Shuwa and numerous fighters.

The sources further stated, according to Makama, that film showing enemy elements and equipment neutralized during the offensive was displayed in the exploitation that followed the strikes.

 “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.