The Nigerian Army has declared 38 senior members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) wanted following intelligence gathered during ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai said the identities of the suspected terrorist leaders were uncovered after troops recovered a camcorder and other intelligence materials during offensive operations in the Lake Chad region of Borno State.
According to the military, forensic analysis of the recovered devices enabled security agencies to identify several key ISWAP commanders and trace their activities within the Mangari–Metele–Dogon Chukun corridor spanning Abadam and Kukawa Local Government Areas.
Among those listed is Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, whom the military identified as the group’s Wali, or governor, and one of ISWAP’s most wanted figures operating in the Lake Chad Basin.
Also declared wanted are Muhammad Jidda, popularly known as “The One-Handed Man”, who was identified as the group’s deputy leader and Amirul Jaish, as well as Hamad Abu Hanifa, described as the Amirul-Fiya of the terrorist organisation.
The Army also released separate wanted notices offering financial rewards for information leading to the arrest of two senior ISWAP commanders.
A reward of ₦10 million was announced for credible information that leads to the capture of Muhammad Jidda, identified as the commander of the group’s Jaish Unit.
The military further placed a ₦50 million bounty on Ibn Muhammad, whom it identified as the commander of ISWAP’s Amniyya Unit, the group’s intelligence and internal security wing.
As part of its public awareness campaign, the Army urged residents to support ongoing operations by providing timely intelligence. Campaign messages released alongside the notices encouraged communities to report suspicious activities, stressing that public information could help dismantle terrorist networks and restore peace.
The military assured members of the public that all information received would be handled in strict confidence and that the identities of informants would be fully protected.
Operation Hadin Kai called on residents of affected communities to continue cooperating with security agencies by reporting credible intelligence through established communication channels or via the dedicated emergency telephone line, 07084988859.
