The Nigerian Army has declared key leaders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) wanted after recovering intelligence materials during a recent military offensive in the Lake Chad region of Borno State.
The development followed a forensic analysis of technical devices and a camcorder seized from terrorists by troops of Operation Hadin Kai, which revealed the identities and locations of several senior ISWAP operatives.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Muhammed Goni, said the recovered devices provided actionable intelligence that led to the identification of top terrorist figures operating within the Mangari-Metele-Dogon Chukun axis along the Lake Chad Basin.
Among those identified were Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, described as the Governor of ISWAP, his deputy and Amirul Jaish, Muhammad Jidda, also known as “The One-Handed Man,” and Hamad Abu Hanifa, the Amirul-Fiya of the group.
According to Goni, Abu Musa remains the most wanted terrorist leader currently operating within the Lake Chad region.
“Operation Hadin Kai wishes to specifically draw the attention of the public to Abu Musa, who remains the most wanted terrorist leader operating within the Lake Chad Basin,” he stated.
The military announced that substantial financial rewards would be offered for credible information leading to the arrest of the wanted terrorists. A bounty of N50 million was placed on Ibn Muhammad, commander of the Amniyya unit, while another N10 million reward was announced for Jidda.
Goni assured members of the public that any information provided would be treated with strict confidentiality and that the identities of informants would be fully protected.
He urged residents to support ongoing counter-terrorism efforts by reporting suspicious activities and sharing useful intelligence with security agencies.
The Army, however, warned citizens against attempting to apprehend the suspects themselves, stressing that all information should be channelled through established security reporting mechanisms.
Operation Hadin Kai has intensified operations against insurgent groups in the North-East as security forces continue efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and restore stability across the Lake Chad region.
