Joint Nigeria–US operation kills top ISIS leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki

The Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with United States forces, have neutralised Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior Islamic State (ISIS) commander described as one of the group’s most active global operatives, in a precision counterterrorism operation.

According to a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, on Saturday, the operation was the result of enhanced intelligence sharing and operational coordination between the two countries under a recently strengthened Nigeria–United States security partnership.

The military said the mission resulted in the disruption of what it described as a violent transnational terrorist network operating across Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel region.

Al-Minuki, according to the statement, was a key ISIS operational and strategic figure who played a central role in directing the group’s activities outside Nigeria. His responsibilities reportedly included guidance on media operations, economic warfare, and the development and production of weapons, explosives, and unmanned aerial systems.

Intelligence assessments further suggest that, as recently as February 2026, he may have been elevated to the position of Head of the General Directorate of States, making him one of the top-ranking figures within the ISIS global hierarchy.

Prior to that, he reportedly served as the Emir of ISIS’s Nigeria-based al-Furqan GDP Office in 2023, overseeing operations across West Africa and the Sahel. He was also linked to multiple attacks against civilians, including ethnic and religious minority communities.

Security records cited in the statement also connected him to the 2018 abduction of over 100 schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State, as well as earlier logistical support for ISIS operations in Libya between 2015 and 2016. Before aligning with ISIS in 2015, he was previously identified as a senior figure within Boko Haram.

The Armed Forces of Nigeria said the operation underscored the country’s “unwavering resolve” to deny terrorist groups operational space and protect national and regional security.

It also highlighted the importance of continued collaboration with international partners, particularly the United States, in confronting evolving transnational threats through intelligence sharing and coordinated military action.

The Defence Headquarters commended the professionalism of personnel involved in the operation and reaffirmed its commitment to sustained offensives targeting terrorist infrastructure across the country and the wider region.