Nigeria, U.S. Forces Kill Senior ISIS Commander in Major Counterterrorism Strike
By Matthew Eloyi
Nigeria and United States forces have killed a senior Islamic State commander in a joint counterterrorism operation described by Nigerian authorities as a major breakthrough against extremist networks operating across West Africa and beyond.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, the Defence Headquarters said the operation led to the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as a top ISIS operational leader with links to terrorist activities in Nigeria, the Sahel and North Africa.
According to the military, the mission was carried out through a recently established intelligence-sharing partnership between the Armed Forces of Nigeria and United States forces.
Defence Headquarters said al-Minuki played a central role in ISIS global operations, providing support on media activities, economic warfare, weapons production, explosives and drone development for ISIS-affiliated groups outside Nigeria.
Military authorities said intelligence reports suggested that al-Minuki may recently have been promoted to head the General Directorate of States, making him the second most senior figure within the global ISIS hierarchy.
“This precision operation represents a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism in Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin, the Sahel region and globally,” the statement said.
The military linked al-Minuki to several major extremist operations in the region, including the 2018 abduction of more than 100 schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State. Officials also said he previously served as the Nigeria-based al-Furqan GDP Office Emir in 2023, coordinating ISIS-linked attacks across West Africa, particularly against ethnic and religious minority communities.
According to intelligence cited by the Defence Headquarters, al-Minuki also facilitated the movement of fighters from Nigeria to Libya between 2015 and 2016 in support of ISIS operations in North Africa. Before aligning with ISIS in 2015, he was reportedly a prominent leader within Boko Haram.
The Armed Forces of Nigeria said the operation underscored the importance of international military cooperation in tackling transnational terrorism.
“The operation equally underscores the importance of our Nigeria-United States collaboration, intelligence sharing and coordinated military action in defeating transnational terrorist networks,” the statement added.
The Defence Headquarters commended personnel involved in the mission for their professionalism and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to dismantling terrorist networks and restoring stability across the country and the wider region.
