Trending 
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has confirmed the killing of senior ISIS commander Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, describing him as a “global terrorist” and a major operational figure within the extremist group.
The confirmation followed an earlier announcement by Donald Trump, who disclosed on his Truth Social platform that Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, described as ISIS’s second-in-command globally, had been eliminated in a joint operation involving Nigerian and American forces.
According to Trump, the operation was carried out by “brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria” and successfully removed what he called “the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield.”
He said the militant leader had been hiding in Africa while coordinating 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 stated.
The US president added that the operation significantly weakened ISIS’s global network and thanked the Nigerian government for cooperating in the mission.
Reacting to the development, Bola Tinubu described the operation as a major example of successful collaboration in the fight against terrorism.
Tinubu said Nigerian troops, working closely with the US Armed Forces, carried out a daring strike on the terrorist leader’s compound in the Lake Chad Basin, killing Al-Minuki and several of his lieutenants.
He expressed appreciation to Trump for supporting the operation and commended personnel from both countries for their professionalism and courage.
Providing further details, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said Al-Minuki played a central role in ISIS’s global operations, particularly in media coordination, economic warfare, weapons production, explosives and drone development.
According to the Defence Headquarters, intelligence reports suggested that Al-Minuki may have been elevated in February 2026 to head ISIS’s General Directorate of States, effectively making him the second most senior figure in the organisation worldwide.
The military also stated that he previously served as the Nigeria-based emir of the ISIS-linked al-Furqan GDP Office in 2023, overseeing operations across the Sahel and West Africa, including attacks targeting civilians and minority communities.
The DHQ linked him to the 2018 Dapchi schoolgirls’ kidnapping and said intelligence records showed he facilitated the movement of fighters to Libya between 2015 and 2016 to support ISIS operations in North Africa.
Before joining ISIS in 2015, the military said Al-Minuki had been a prominent leader within Boko Haram.
The Defence Headquarters added that the successful mission resulted from the recently strengthened intelligence-sharing and military partnership between Nigeria and the United States.
According to the military, the operation marked a major breakthrough in efforts to combat terrorism across Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin, the Sahel region and beyond.
The Armed Forces also reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling terrorist networks, protecting civilians and restoring peace and stability across the region.
