The military under Operation HADIN KAI has declared senior commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) wanted and announced cash rewards totalling ₦60 million for credible information leading to their arrest.
The development followed what the military described as a major intelligence breakthrough achieved after recent offensive operations against ISWAP fighters in the Lake Chad region of northern Borno State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Capt. Mohammed Goni, troops said they recovered several high-value intelligence materials, including a camcorder allegedly used by ISWAP members to record propaganda videos and document their operations.
According to the military, forensic analysis of the recovered devices produced actionable intelligence that led to the identification of terrorist hideouts and several senior ISWAP leaders operating within the Mangari–Metele–Dogon Chukun axis along the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin in Abadam and Kukawa Local Government Areas of Borno State.
The identified suspects include Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, described as the Wali (Governor) of the Islamic State West Africa Province; his deputy and Amirul Jaish, Muhammad Jidda, popularly known as “The One-Handed Man”; Hamad Abu Hanifa, identified as the Amirul-Fiya of ISWAP; and other key operatives.
The military also released wanted notices for Muhammad Jidda and Ibn Muhammad, identified as an ISWAP commander in the Amniyya Unit. A reward of ₦10 million was placed on Jidda, while ₦50 million was offered for information leading to the arrest of Ibn Muhammad.
Operation HADIN KAI, however, described Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa as the most wanted ISWAP leader currently operating within the Lake Chad Basin, saying a substantial financial reward would be paid to anyone whose credible and actionable information leads directly to his arrest.
The military assured that all information provided by members of the public would be treated with strict confidentiality, while the identities of informants would be protected in line with established security procedures.
It urged residents to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations by volunteering credible and timely information through security reporting channels or the dedicated hotline, 0708 498 8859.
The military, however, cautioned members of the public against attempting to confront or arrest any of the wanted suspects, advising them instead to report any useful information to security agencies.
