The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says an intelligence-led air operation has killed a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and eight other fighters in Borno State.

The operation was carried out by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, the military’s counter-insurgency operation in the North-East. According to the NAF, the strike targeted suspected terrorists operating in the Sambisa Forest after intelligence reports provided information about their movements.

The Air Force said it deployed a remotely piloted aircraft to monitor and track the suspected fighters as they moved towards a hideout. After confirming the target, the aircraft carried out a precision strike on the location.

A subsequent assessment of the operation indicated that several fighters had been neutralised. The NAF later received additional intelligence confirming that nine ISWAP fighters were killed, while others sustained injuries.

Among those reportedly killed was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, whom the Air Force identified as an important ISWAP commander responsible for providing security escorts for senior members of the terrorist organisation.

According to the NAF, Al Muhajir’s death could significantly affect ISWAP’s operations because of his reported knowledge of routes, terrain and movement patterns linking several terrorist enclaves in the Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas.

The Air Force also said intelligence suggested that some of the fighters affected by the strike may have been connected to elements suspected of involvement in a recent ambush on Nigerian troops along the Bita–Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area.

The latest operation forms part of continued military efforts to weaken terrorist networks operating across Borno and other parts of the North-East.

The NAF said its intelligence, surveillance and precision-strike capabilities would continue to be used in coordination with ground troops to disrupt terrorist movements, weaken their operational capacity and prevent them from regrouping.

The service maintained that the latest strike would also disrupt ISWAP’s ability to protect senior commanders and coordinate activities between its various enclaves.

The military’s intensified operations come as security forces continue to confront ISWAP and other insurgent groups operating in the North-East, while also working to protect communities and military formations from further attacks.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has assured residents of Osun State and other Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force will remain professional, apolitical and impartial throughout the August 15 governorship election.

Disu gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja while meeting with a delegation of civil society organisations led by Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC). The meeting focused on security preparations and concerns surrounding the forthcoming poll.

The police chief acknowledged concerns over possible electoral violence, voter intimidation, political thuggery and the perceived neutrality of security agencies. He said the concerns were legitimate and required transparency and concrete measures from law enforcement authorities.

Disu said the police had already put comprehensive security arrangements in place for the election and stressed that the force has no preferred candidate or political party. He maintained that its primary responsibility is to ensure that voters are able to freely exercise their constitutional rights.

He further disclosed that officers assigned to election duties had been reminded of their constitutional obligations to enforce the law fairly and without favour. Adequate personnel and operational resources have also been deployed across the state, while intelligence gathering and threat assessments have been intensified ahead of the poll.

The IGP warned that anyone involved in vote buying, voter intimidation, ballot box snatching, political thuggery or other electoral offences would face legal consequences, irrespective of their political affiliation or status.

Disu also appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters to avoid violence and conduct their campaigns responsibly. He urged Osun residents to participate peacefully and report suspicious activities to security personnel.

Speaking earlier, Rafsanjani said civil society organisations would continue working with security agencies to support a free, fair and credible election. Yiaga Africa Executive Director Samson Itodo described the Osun election as an important test for Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

President Bola Tinubu has reportedly directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to withdraw its directive restricting access to Osun State Government’s account, following the controversy surrounding the account freeze.

The development comes after the EFCC placed a Post-No-Debit (PND) restriction on an Osun State Government statutory allocation account domiciled with First Bank, preventing withdrawals from the account as part of an ongoing investigation.

The action sparked a political uproar after Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, accused the anti-graft agency of attempting to cripple government operations ahead of the state’s governorship election. The governor argued that freezing a state government account lacked legal justification and could affect the payment of salaries and other government obligations.

Sources familiar with the matter said President Tinubu’s intervention was aimed at resolving the dispute and preventing further escalation between the federal agency and the Osun State Government. The EFCC had earlier maintained that the restriction was connected to an ongoing investigation and that several government officials had been invited in connection with the probe.

The account restriction had heightened political tension in Osun, coming shortly before the state’s governorship election, with opposition figures and observers questioning the timing of the action.

As of the time of this report, further details on the formal communication between the Presidency and the EFCC, including whether the restriction has been officially lifted, are still awaited.