Kiriku, a notorious commander of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), died of snakebite on Friday.

According to reports gathered by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad region, Kiriku led a number of ambushes against the army.

The Nigerian Army could not get to him, but a brown venomous snake finished him off in the vast Sambisa Forest of Borno State.

READ ALSO: Dozens Killed in Fight Between Boko Haram and ISWAP Terrorists

“A notorious Commander of the Islamic State of West African Province(ISWAP), identify as Kiriku, died three days after being bitten by a venomous snake in the North East of Sambisa in Borno State,” Zagazola Makama reported via Twitter.

“It was gathered that Kiriku sustained two snake bites from the highly venomous brown snake in one of their hideouts in Agikur Mosque in the Damboa Local Government Area on Tuesday and died on June 23, 2023.

“Zagazola Makama, a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region understands that the ISWAP terrorists lack accessibility for treatment.

“Kiriku is one of the commanders who operate within the Jiddari axis of Chiralia in the Timbuktu triangle that has led many attacks and ambushes against troops of Operation Hadin Kai between the road from Maiduguri to Damboa.”

READ ALSO: Troops Repel ISWAP Attack on Borno Security Base

ISWAP has overtaken Boko Haram in terms of terrorism threats after displacing its foot soldiers in recent years.

Nigeria’s newly appointed service chiefs will have to contend with ISWAP over their control in many parts of northern Nigeria.