U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, was killed during a joint counterterrorism operation carried out by American and Nigerian forces.
- +US, Nigerian troops eliminate ISIS second-in-command Abu-Bilal al-Minuki
The announcement was made by Trump on Friday via Truth Social, where he described the mission as a “meticulously planned and very complex operation” executed at his direction by U.S.
The announcement was made by Trump on Friday via Truth Social, where he described the mission as a “meticulously planned and very complex operation” executed at his direction by U.S. forces and the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The development marks a significant escalation in joint counterterrorism cooperation between Nigeria and the United States as both countries intensify efforts to contain the growing threat posed by ISIS and Al-Qaeda-linked insurgent groups across West Africa.
Trump said the operation successfully eliminated one of the world’s most active terrorist leaders, whom he claimed had been operating from Africa.
The U.S. President, however, did not disclose the precise location where the operation took place.
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a Nigerian national, had previously been designated a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” by the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden in 2023, according to records published in the U.S. Federal Register.
The operation comes amid growing security cooperation between Washington and Abuja following rising concerns over the spread of ISIS-linked and Al-Qaeda-affiliated insurgent groups across West Africa and the Sahel region.
The renewed cooperation also follows repeated concerns raised by Trump over insecurity in Nigeria, particularly attacks linked to Islamist militant groups operating in parts of northern Nigeria.
Nigeria has consistently denied allegations of religious bias in its security operations, maintaining that its armed forces target criminal and extremist groups irrespective of religion or ethnicity.
The killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki is likely to be viewed as a major symbolic and operational victory for both Nigerian and U.S. counterterrorism efforts, particularly at a time when extremist networks are expanding their activities across West Africa.
The development comes as the United States recently identified West Africa, the Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin among the world’s most dangerous terrorism hotspots in its newly released 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy document.
In April, the Federal Government released a list of 48 individuals and entities allegedly linked to terrorism financing in Nigeria.
