Nigerian troops went into the Sambisa Forest at night and came out having killed Abu Khalid, a Boko Haram commander the army calls the group’s second-in-command in the area. At least 10 other militants died with him. The raid took place on Saturday in Borno state, and the army announced the result on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
The army statement described Khalid as “a key figure within the terrorist hierarchy, coordinating operations and logistics in the Sambisa Forest area”. In another passage the military said he was responsible for coordinating operations and logistics along the Sambisa axis.
Troops recovered five AK-47 rifles, along with magazines, bicycles, food and medical supplies. The army said no Nigerian soldier was killed or wounded.
What the haul suggests
Bicycles and medical supplies are not the kit of a large conventional force. They point to a small, mobile camp, and the mention of logistics in the army’s description of Khalid fits that picture. The catch is that the army has not said how it confirmed his identity, and the claims come from its own statement.
A war with no end date
Clearance operations continue across the northeast, in the Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains, against Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province. Anadolu Agency noted that Boko Haram has operated in Nigeria since the early 2000s and that tens of thousands have been killed in attacks since 2009. CGTN added that the fighting has displaced millions across the Lake Chad region.
Killing a local commander has not ended the conflict before. Both groups, CGTN wrote, continue to attack civilians and security forces despite repeated military operations.
Sources
- Nigerian Army Kills Boko Haram Commander in Borno Raid (CGTN Africa)
- Nigerian troops kill Boko Haram commander, 10 fighters in country's northeast (Anadolu Agency)
