American and Nigerian forces have successfully eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who is said to be the second-in-command of ISIS globally.
The announcement was confirmed by United States President Donald Trump and corroborated by the Nigerian government.
According to statements from both countries, the overnight mission was the culmination of intensive intelligence gathering and flawless tactical execution.
Trump described the raid as a “meticulously planned and very complex mission” targeted directly at neutralizing the group’s global deputy.
“Brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.”
Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation, but did not provide further details.
Al-Minuki had been under U.S sanctions since 2023 for his links to ISIL.
When announcing al-Minuki’s designation on the list of “global terrorists”, the US State Department described him as a Sahel-based ISIL senior leader and part of its General Directorate of Provinces, the group’s administrative body that provides “operational guidance and funding around the world”.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” Trump said.
President Bola Tinubu has also announced the killing of Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki during a joint operation carried out by Nigerian and United States forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
In a statement personally signed on Saturday, Tinubu stated that the operation marked “a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism” between the two countries.
The President said Nigerian troops, working with the US Armed Forces, carried out “a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State.”
He added that “early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.”
Tinubu described the operation as a major step in advancing the security objectives of both countries and commended the forces involved for their conduct.
“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives. I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort,” the statement read.
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed the development in a statement signed by the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, on Saturday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the operation was carried out after what it described as meticulous planning and successful execution by the armed forces of both countries.
The Ministry said the operation took place a few hours earlier and targeted Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who was allegedly linked to several recent attacks on military formations in the North East.
The statement added that the successful operation reflected the growing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against terrorism.
The Ministry also commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to national security and appreciated the support of the United States government in counter terrorism efforts.
It reads in parts: “A Joint Operation by the Nigerian Military and the United States Africa Command has killed Abu Bilal Al Minuki, the Second in Command of ISIS, in the Lake Chad Area. The operation was carried out a few hours ago after meticulous planning and successful execution by the Armed Forces of the two Countries.
“Abu Bilal Al Minuki was responsible for some of the recent attacks on Military formations in the North East.”
“Special thanks to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his commitment to keeping Nigeria safe and high commendations to the Government of the United States of America for their partnership and support in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.”
For months, Trump has accused Nigeria of not doing enough to stop armed groups from targeting Christians in the country’s northwest.
Abuja has denied the charge and said that fighters target both Muslim and Christian communities in the country.
On Christmas Day last year, U.S forces carried out an air strike in Sokoto State that targeted ISIL fighters operating in the region.
The U.S has since deployed hundreds of troops to Nigeria to provide technical support and intelligence sharing in the fight against armed groups.
