Nigerian Army Confirms Death of Senior Boko Haram Commander Abu Khalid

By Desmond Nleya

Nigeria’s armed forces have announced the killing of a senior Boko Haram commander, Abu Khalid, during a night raid in Borno State.

In a statement released on Sunday, the military said Abu Khalid, a key figure in the Islamist militant group, was eliminated during a targeted operation in the Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram’s long-time stronghold in northeastern Nigeria.

Abu Khalid was reportedly the group’s second-in-command in charge of logistics and operations in the Sambisa axis. Ten other Boko Haram fighters were also killed in the raid, while no casualties were recorded among Nigerian troops.

The military described the operation as a significant blow to the group’s operational capacity.

The death of Abu Khalid marks one of the Nigerian army’s notable recent successes amid escalating insecurity across the country. Security forces continue to battle on multiple fronts, confronting Islamist insurgents such as Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), while also tackling armed criminal gangs responsible for kidnappings and ransom attacks.