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The Nigerian military has verified the death of a top militant leader, Mohammed Khalifa, along with the capture of two prominent officials from the Islamic State's branch in West Africa—known as Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar—who have handed themselves over to forces involved in Operation Hadin Kai in Borno State.
The media information officer for the Northeast Joint Task Force, part of Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna Sani, revealed this in a press release published on Thursday.
As per Sani, the two leaders gave themselves up to the military forces on June 8, 2026.
He mentioned that they held key roles inside the terror organization's structure and functioned along the Mangari corridor in the Lake Chad area.
The declaration stated, "Operation Hadin Kai has achieved another major victory in the continuous fight against terrorism after two prominent leaders from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) surrendered to forces on 8 June 2026."
The captured militants, named Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar, are presently under military control and being subjected to proper identification and interrogation processes.
Sani mentioned that among the captured officers, Ismail Mohammed had been closely linked with top ISWAP figure Baa Shuwa and held detailed understanding of the organization's leadership and activities.
"The second person, Abu Umar, was well recognized inside the terror organization as an expert in explosives, tasked with producing and repairing vehicle-mounted homemade bombs and additional military support gear utilized by the militants," he further stated.
A military representative added that initial interrogations indicated that another high-ranking militant leader, Mohammed Khalifa, who belonged to the ISWAP Shura Council, died in combined operations carried out under Operation Hadin Kai.
As he stated, the capitulation of the two leaders marked a significant blow to the extremist group, considering their extensive knowledge, impact, and technological skills gained through many years inside the rebel structure.
"The choice of their escape and submission once again highlights the success of continuous combat actions carried out by forces from Operation Hadin Kai, supported by targeted strikes involving partner nations against militant strongholds throughout the region," he stated.
Sani pointed out that ongoing military efforts have kept reducing the abilities of terrorists, weakened their operation structures, and forced more rebels to lay down arms.
This advancement highlights the increasing frustration and waning spirit among terrorists as ongoing military efforts keep restricting their movements and access to secure areas.
"It further highlights the success of continuous initiatives focused on breaking down terrorist leadership networks and hindering their functioning," he stated.
He stated that Operation Hadin Kai continues to be dedicated to applying pressure against extremist groups throughout the area.
"The armed forces will keep taking every possible chance to break up extremist groups and bring long-term peace to the impacted areas," he stated.
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