Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the deputy leader of ISIS globally, has been eliminated in a joint operation carried out by U.S. and Nigerian forces in northeastern Africa, as confirmed by U.S. President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social late Friday, while Tinubu praised the operation as a successful collaboration in the fight against terrorism.
In a statement shared on social media, Trump revealed that American and Nigerian forces executed a meticulously planned mission to eliminate Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the most active terrorist globally. Tinubu confirmed early reports of Minuki’s elimination, along with several of his associates, in a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
Describing the operation as a significant blow to ISIS, Tinubu emphasized the close cooperation between Nigerian and U.S. military forces. Trump, who had previously criticized Nigeria for not adequately protecting Christians from extremist groups, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for their partnership in the mission.
The Nigerian army stated that the precision strike took place in Metele, Borno State, under Nigeria’s ongoing counter-insurgency initiative. Borno State has been plagued by a 17-year insurgency led by Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, resulting in numerous casualties and displacements.
The operation, conducted in collaboration with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), began at midnight and concluded early Saturday morning without any casualties or asset losses. Minuki, a Nigerian national, had been designated a “specially designated global terrorist” by the Biden administration in 2023, according to the U.S. Federal Register.
Nigeria maintains that its security forces target all armed groups that pose a threat, regardless of religious affiliation. Following previous U.S. strikes against ISIS-linked militants in Nigeria, Washington has provided training and intelligence support, deploying drones and troops to assist the Nigerian military in combating insurgencies linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda in West Africa.
Earlier this year, Nigerian military officials confirmed that U.S. forces were operating in a non-combat capacity to support Nigerian efforts against extremist groups.