Trump, Tinubu Confirm Killing of ISIS Leader, Al-Minuki by Joint US, Nigerian Forces

*Nigerian president hails Trump for his unwavering support in war against terrorism

*Presidency justifies joint US, Nigerian military operation 

*DHQ clarifies reported killing of al-Minuki in 2024

Deji Elumoye, Linus Aleke in Abuja

United States President Donald Trump and President Bola Tinubu yesterday confirmed the killing of the second-in-command of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) globally, Abu-Bilal al-Manuk, in a joint operation carried out by the Nigerian Armed Forces and their counterparts from the United States.
The Presidency has also justified the joint military operation, saying the well-planned operation was intelligence-driven and a result of prolonged Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) efforts, supported by communications monitoring and phone intercepts that lasted for over a six-month period.

Meanwhile, reacting to the public confusion over yesterday’s announcement of the killing of al-Minuki, after the military had reported his death in 2024, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has clarified that terrorist commanders often adopted similar names and aliases as part of their indoctrination strategy to conceal their true identities.
Trump, who broke the news of the killing of the terrorist leader in the early morning hours of yesterday, said the US forces, working alongside the Nigerian military, carried out an operation that killed the top ISIS leader, described as the terror group’s second-in-command globally.

The US president said American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria “flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission” targeting Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.
While describing the mission as complex, Trump said al-Minuki was hiding in Africa.
“Tonight, at my direction, 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. 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. He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” Trump wrote.

The American president also thanked the Nigerian government for what he described as its partnership in the operation.
Al-Minuki was listed as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” by the administration of former US President Joe Biden in 2023, over links to the Islamic State group.

Confirming the elimination of al-Manuk, in a statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu stated that the wanted terrorist leader was killed at his residence in Lake Chad.
Tinubu, while commending the gallantry of the two forces during the successful joint operation, expressed appreciation to Trump for his unwavering support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, saying he was looking forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist camps across the country.

“Overnight, Nigeria and the United States recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight 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.

“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
“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.

“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,” Tinubu explained.
The Armed Forces of Nigeria have also announced the successful elimination of the senior ISIS leader, following a joint counterterrorism operation conducted in collaboration with US forces.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the military described the operation as “meticulously planned and highly coordinated,” resulting in the neutralisation of one of the world’s most active terrorists.
According to the statement, the precision strike was made possible through enhanced intelligence sharing and cooperation under a recently strengthened Nigeria–United States security partnership.
The operation, the military said, dealt a significant blow to a terrorist network that posed threats to Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin, and the wider West African region.

DHQ noted that al-Minuki played a critical role within ISIS, providing strategic guidance to affiliated groups outside Nigeria.
His responsibilities reportedly included overseeing media operations, coordinating economic warfare, and supporting the development of weapons, explosives, and drone technologies.
“His death removes a critical node through which ISIS coordinated and directed operations across different regions of the world,” the statement said.

Military intelligence further indicated that, as recently as February 2026, al-Minuki may have been elevated to head the ISIS General Directorate of States, effectively making him the second most senior figure in the global terror group.
Prior to this, he was said to have served as the Nigeria-based al-Furqan office emir in 2023, where he oversaw ISIS-linked operations across the Sahel and West Africa, including attacks targeting civilians, particularly ethnic and religious minority communities.
The military also linked al-Minuki to longstanding ties with ISIS-West Africa Province (ISWAP) and alleged his involvement in the 2018 Dapchi schoolgirls’ kidnapping. Intelligence records further suggested that between 2015 and 2016, he facilitated the movement of fighters to Libya to support ISIS operations in North Africa.
Before aligning with ISIS in 2015, al-Minuki was reportedly a prominent figure within Boko Haram.

Presidency Justifies Joint US, Nigerian Military Operation

Meanwhile, the Presidency has justified the Nigeria-US joint military operation, which culminated in the killing of al-Minuki.
 Reacting to the controversy trailing the killing of al-Minuki, presidential spokesperson Onanuga, in a statement, explained that the reported killing of the terrorist commander in 2024 was a case of mistaken identity.
He stressed that there was no ambiguity this time as al-Manuki has been confirmed killed by the military authorities.
“It is acknowledged within military and intelligence circles that Al-Manuki’s name had appeared among lists of suspected ISWAP/Boko Haram commanders reportedly killed in 2024 during operations around the Birnin Gwari forest axis in Kaduna State.
“However, security officials now clarify that the earlier listing was a case of mistaken identity or misattribution in the fog of sustained counterinsurgency operations. Importantly, intelligence now confirms that the Birnin Gwari theatre was never within Al-Minuki’s established operational sphere, which negates the accuracy of the earlier assessment.
“This time, however, security and military authorities maintain a far higher level of confidence.”

DHQ Clarifies Reported Killing of Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki in 2024, Says Terrorist Leaders Adopt Similar Names to Obscure Their Identities

In a similar clarification on the earlier reported killing of al-Minuki in 2024, the DHQ maintained that terrorist commanders often adopted similar names and aliases as part of their indoctrination strategy to conceal their true identities.
The Director of Defence Information, Major General Uba, said in a statement that the military remained committed to providing verified information through official channels.

“It is important to state that within the North-east region and across the Lake Chad Basin, the use of similar or identical names, aliases, and nom de guerres is common among ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists. This is essentially part of their indoctrination programme, which is aimed at deliberately obscuring identities.

This fact has been established over the years through counter-terrorism operations in the Northeast of Nigeria.
“The Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki eliminated on 16 May, 2026, has been positively identified through human intelligence and technical surveillance as a senior global operative within the Islamic State network, with direct links to international terrorist coordination, funding, and operations across the Sahel. There is therefore no ambiguity in his identity.