Nigerian Army eliminates terrorist commander Abu Fatima in crucial Borno operation
In a major counterterrorism breakthrough, the Nigerian Army has confirmed the elimination of Amir Abu Fatima, a notorious terrorist commander with a ₦100 million bounty on his head, during a high-risk special operation in northern Borno State.
The operation was executed in the early hours of Friday, May 30, by Special Forces from the 19 Brigade, Sector 3 of Operation Hadin Kai, targeting the Kukawa axis, a known stronghold of terrorist cells near Lake Chad.
According to a post by security analyst Zagazola Makama on X (formerly Twitter), the mission was a “terrorist leader decapitation operation” specifically designed to neutralize Abu Fatima, who had long eluded capture and was responsible for coordinating high-profile attacks in the Lake Chad region.
“The elite troops infiltrated the terrorists’ enclave and engaged them in a fierce gunfight,” Makama reported.
Capture and death of Abu Fatima
Abu Fatima was reportedly captured alive after sustaining critical injuries during the exchange. However, military sources said he later died from excessive bleeding caused by multiple gunshot wounds before he could be evacuated for interrogation.
“In addition to the death of the terror kingpin, his second-in-command, bomb-makers, and several other fighters were also neutralised during the operation,” Makama added.
Weapons and explosives recovered
A significant cache of arms and explosives was recovered at the scene, including:
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AK-47 rifles
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Loaded magazines
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Improvised Explosive Device (IED) materials
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Military-grade equipment
The successful strike is being hailed as a major setback for insurgent operations in the region and a morale boost for Nigerian troops engaged in counterterrorism efforts under Operation Hadin Kai.
Military analysts believe Abu Fatima’s death could further destabilize command and control structures within insurgent factions operating in the Lake Chad basin and may pave the way for more offensive operations in the coming weeks.
This development marks another chapter in Nigeria’s continued campaign to dismantle terror networks in the Northeast, amid efforts to restore lasting peace to the conflict-ridden region.
