The United States and Nigeria say they have killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior Islamic State commander described by both governments as one of the group’s most important global figures, during a joint operation in Nigeria’s northeast.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, saying al-Minuki was killed in what he called a “meticulously planned” mission conducted with Nigerian forces. Trump described him as ISIS’s global second-in-command and “the most active terrorist in the world.”
President Bola Tinubu confirmed the strike in a statement on X, saying Nigerian and U.S. forces had carried out a “daring joint operation” in the Lake Chad Basin that killed al-Minuki and several of his lieutenants. Tinubu called the operation a “significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.”
Nigeria’s military said the operation took place in a remote area of Borno State after intelligence showed that al-Minuki’s cell had established a concealed and fortified enclave. According to Associated Press reporting, the Nigerian military identified him as a key ISIS operational and strategic figure involved in media operations, financing and weapons development.
The military also said recent intelligence suggested al-Minuki may have been elevated to head of ISIS’s “General Directorate of States,” a position Nigerian officials said would make him the second-most senior leader in the global ISIS hierarchy. Some analysts, however, cautioned that the claim about his global rank remains difficult to independently verify.
Al-Minuki, also known as Abu Mainok, had long been associated with Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, the ISIS-linked faction operating around the Lake Chad region. The area has been at the centre of a 17-year insurgency involving Boko Haram and ISWAP, which has killed thousands and displaced about two million people across northeastern Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
The U.S. sanctioned al-Minuki in 2023, accusing him of supporting ISIS operations across West Africa and the Sahel. Nigerian officials said his death removes a major command node used to coordinate operations across multiple regions.
The operation also signals deepening U.S.-Nigeria military cooperation. Washington has increased intelligence, drone and training support to Nigerian forces since late 2025, as both countries seek to contain jihadist expansion in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
Tinubu thanked Trump for U.S. support and said Nigeria looked forward to more “decisive strikes” against terrorist enclaves across the country.
