The Defence Headquarters has confirmed the killing of a senior ISIS leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, during a joint counterterrorism operation involving Nigerian and United States forces.
The announcement followed a statement issued on Saturday by Donald Trump on his social media platform, where he described Al-Minuki as ISIS’s second-in-command globally.
According to Trump, the operation was carried out by “brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria” and successfully eliminated what he called “the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield.”
Trump stated that the ISIS commander had been operating from Africa while coordinating terrorist activities linked to the Islamic State group.
“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 wrote.
He added that the deceased militant leader “will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” while stressing that the operation had significantly weakened the global structure of ISIS.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” Trump added.
The US president also commended the Nigerian government for its cooperation during the mission.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” he said.
Reacting to the development, President Bola Tinubu described the operation as a major example of successful international collaboration against terrorism.
“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State,” Tinubu stated.
“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,” he added.
Tinubu also expressed appreciation to the United States government for its support.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the president said.
In a separate statement, Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, described Al-Minuki as a major ISIS operational and strategic figure.
According to the military, the slain commander coordinated ISIS activities outside Nigeria, including media operations, economic warfare, and the development of weapons, explosives and drones.
“His death removes a critical node through which ISIS coordinated and directed operations across different regions of the world,” the statement said.
The Defence Headquarters further disclosed that intelligence reports suggested Al-Minuki may have been elevated in February 2026 to Head of the General Directorate of States, making him the second most senior figure in ISIS’s global hierarchy.
Before that role, he reportedly served in 2023 as the Nigeria-based al-Furqan GDP Office Emir, overseeing ISIS-linked operations across the Sahel and West Africa.
The military also linked him to attacks targeting civilians and minority communities, as well as the 2018 Dapchi schoolgirls kidnapping.
According to the statement, intelligence records showed that between 2015 and 2016, Al-Minuki facilitated the movement of fighters to Libya in support of ISIS activities in North Africa.
The military added that before pledging allegiance to ISIS in 2015, he was a senior member of Boko Haram.
The Defence Headquarters confirmed that the mission was conducted under the recently strengthened security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
“The precision operation was the result of our recently formed U.S.-Nigeria partnership and intelligence sharing efforts,” the statement added.
The Armed Forces said the operation marked a major breakthrough in efforts to combat terrorism across Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel region.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling terrorist networks, protecting civilians and maintaining regional security through continued collaboration with international partners.
