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The Nigerian military has verified the death of a prominent terror leader, Mohammed Khalifa, as well as the capture of two top officials from the Islamic State West Africa Province, Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar, by forces involved in Operation Hadin Kai in Borno State.
The media information officer for the Northeast Joint Task Force conducting Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna Sani, revealed this in a statement released on Thursday.
As per Sani, the two leaders gave themselves up to military forces on June 8, 2026, at the Mangari front in the Lake Chad area, where they had key roles inside the militant group.
Sani stated, "The Operation Hadin Kai has achieved yet another major victory in the continuous anti-terror initiative after two prominent leaders from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) surrendered to forces on June 8, 2026."
The captured militants, named Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar, are presently under military control and being subjected to proper identification and interrogation processes.
He stated that Ismail Mohammed was closely linked with high-ranking ISWAP figure, Baa Shuwa, and had deep understanding of the organization's leadership framework and activities.
He stated that Abu Umar was well-known throughout the terror organization as an expert in explosives, tasked with constructing and repairing vehicular improvised explosive devices and additional military support gear utilized by rebels.
Sani added that information gathered through questioning indicated that Mohammed Khalifa, a member of the ISWAP Shurah Council, died in recent combined military actions.
"During coordinated efforts under Operation Hadin Kai, intelligence gathering indicated that another prominent extremist, Mohammed Khalifa, who belonged to the ISWAP Shurah Council, had been eliminated," he stated.
An army spokesperson referred to the capture of the two leaders as a significant setback for the extremist organization, highlighting their authority, knowledge, and specialized skills gained through many years inside the rebel structure.
The choice of their escape and submission highlights even more the success of continuous combat actions carried out by forces from Operation Hadin Kai, supported by targeted strikes involving partner nations against extremist strongholds throughout the region.
"The ongoing efforts from these actions keep undermining terrorist abilities, diminish their operational structures, and encourage more rebels to lay down arms," he said.
Sani mentioned that the progress indicated increasing despair and falling spirits within militant groups, as ongoing military efforts keep restricting their mobility and secure areas.
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 reiterated the dedication of Operation Hadin Kai to continuing combat actions against rebels throughout the Northeast.
"The armed forces will keep taking every possible chance to break up extremist groups and bring long-term peace to the impacted areas," Sani pledged.
The Nigerian armed forces launched Operation Hadin Kai in the Northeast region as part of their efforts to fight against Boko Haram and its offshoot group, the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Over the past few months, military forces have increased land and aerial attacks throughout the Lake Chad Basin, Sambisa Forest, and additional areas where insurgents are active, resulting in the killing of multiple terror leaders, the demolition of shelters, and the submission of numerous combatants along with their relatives.