By Ayomide Otitoju
Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has confirmed the killing of Abu Salim al-Barnawi, a senior Boko Haram/ISWAP operative and the terrorist group’s chief photographer and propaganda operative, during a failed attack on a military position in Borno State.
The military said Abu Salim was killed alongside members of the ISWAP mobile media team, including Abu Umar Khattab and Abu Khalid Usman, during the operation. Troops also recovered a video camera used by the media unit, along with other items previously listed in an official statement.
According to Operation HADIN KAI, the terrorist group has since acknowledged Abu Salim’s death by publishing an obituary, which the military described as further evidence of the heavy losses being inflicted on the group’s leadership and support structures.
Military intelligence reports indicated that Abu Salim previously led cross-border terrorist operations into Cameroon before he was reassigned to ISWAP’s media wing.
In his propaganda role, he was responsible for documenting attacks through photographs and videos, producing extremist propaganda materials and disseminating content aimed at recruiting new members and projecting the group’s operational strength.
The military said Abu Salim and his media team were eliminated during the terrorists’ failed attempt to overrun a military position at Cross Kauwa on July 12, 2026.
Troops reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers, killing several senior fighters, including a Syrian national and an ISWAP commander identified as Aliyu Zabarmari.
Operation HADIN KAI also disclosed that another foreign fighter, described as an Arab mercenary, remains unaccounted for, while several terrorists sustained serious injuries as they retreated under sustained military pressure.
The military said the operation demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing offensive operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP, noting that the loss of experienced operatives weakens the terrorist group’s operational capability, disrupts its propaganda network, degrades its command structure and limits its ability to spread extremist narratives.
It added that the publication of an obituary by the terrorist group reflects the increasing pressure from sustained military operations and highlights the challenges it faces in replacing experienced operatives who have been eliminated.
Operation HADIN KAI said the continued degradation of the group’s media and propaganda network is expected to further reduce its ability to recruit fighters, coordinate attacks and project influence.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led operations aimed at eliminating the remaining Boko Haram and ISWAP elements, dismantling their logistics and propaganda networks, restricting their freedom of movement and restoring lasting peace and security across Nigeria’s North-East.
