US President Donald Trump announced that American and Nigerian forces have killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the Islamic States (ISIS) second-in-command globally, in a meticulously executed joint operation on Nigerian soil.
Trump made the announcement via Truth Social late Friday, describing the mission as “flawlessly executed” and “very complex.” He praised the bravery of US and Nigerian troops, stating that al-Minuki, whom he called “the most active terrorist in the world, had been tracked by intelligence sources while attempting to hide 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,” Trump wrote. “Abu-Bilal al-Minuki… 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.”
A Nigerian national, al-Minuki was a senior figure in ISIS operations, particularly linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) around the Lake Chad region. The US State Department had sanctioned him in 2023 as a “specially designated global terrorist” for his leadership role in the group.
The operation shows deepening military cooperation between Washington and Abuja in the fight against jihadist insurgencies that have plagued parts of Nigeria and the broader Sahel region for years. Nigerian forces have long battled Boko Haram and its ISIS-affiliated splinter groups, which have carried out thousands of attacks, displacing millions and causing widespread instability.
While the exact location of the strike has not been publicly disclosed, the successful elimination of such a high-value target is expected to disrupt ISIS coordination and financing across West Africa. Trump noted that al-Minuki’s removal “greatly diminished” the group’s global operations.
US officials and Nigerian authorities have not yet issued separate formal confirmations beyond the president’s statement, but the announcement has drawn swift international attention. Analysts view it as a major counter-terrorism win early in Trump’s current term, signaling a continued aggressive posture against ISIS remnants following previous US strikes in the region.
This development comes amid ongoing concerns about the Sahel becoming a new epicenter for global terrorism, with groups exploiting porous borders and local grievances to expand their influence.For Nigeria, the operation highlights the potential for stronger bilateral security ties with the United States in tackling homegrown and transnational threats. As details emerge, the focus will remain on whether this strike can translate into sustained pressure on ISIS affiliates operating in the Lake Chad Basin and beyond.
