Daijiworld Media Network – Abuja

Abuja, May 16: Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, alleged to be the second-in-command of Islamic State globally, has been killed in a joint operation carried out by United States and Nigeria forces, according to statements issued by the leaders of both countries.

US President Donald Trump said American and Nigerian forces had conducted a “meticulously planned and very complex mission” to eliminate what he described as one of the world’s most active terrorists.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said al-Minuki believed he could hide in Africa, but intelligence sources had been tracking his activities.

Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation in the operation, though he did not disclose further operational details.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu confirmed the development in a separate statement on Saturday, calling the mission a major example of successful cooperation between the two countries in combating terrorism.

According to Tinubu, preliminary assessments indicated that al-Minuki and several of his lieutenants were killed in a strike targeting his compound in the Lake Chad Basin region.

“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives,” Tinubu said while thanking Trump for his support and leadership.

Al-Minuki had been under US sanctions since 2023 over his links to ISIL. At the time of imposing sanctions, the United States Department of State described him as a senior ISIL leader based in the Sahel region and part of the group’s General Directorate of Provinces, which oversees operational guidance and funding activities globally.

For months, Trump has accused Nigeria of not doing enough to prevent attacks by armed groups against Christians in parts of the country’s northwest. Nigerian authorities, however, have maintained that both Muslim and Christian communities have been targeted by militants.

In December last year, US forces conducted an air strike in Sokoto State targeting ISIL fighters operating in the region.

The United States has since deployed hundreds of personnel to Nigeria for intelligence-sharing and technical assistance in anti-terror operations. Nigerian authorities have clarified that the US troops are serving strictly in noncombat roles.

Tinubu also expressed hope for more coordinated operations against armed groups in the future, saying he looked forward to further decisive strikes on terrorist enclaves across the country.