Abuja, Nigeria
US President Donald Trump has announced that American and Nigerian forces jointly killed a senior Islamic State (IS) commander known as Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki during a military operation in Nigeria.
The announcement comes despite previous statements by the Nigerian military claiming that the militant leader had already been killed in 2024, raising fresh questions about the identity of the commander and the timeline surrounding his reported death.
President Trump said the operation was carried out through cooperation between US and Nigerian security forces targeting Islamic State-linked militants operating in West Africa. Details about the exact location, date, and operational tactics used during the mission were not immediately released.
The Nigerian military has not yet publicly provided additional information confirming the latest claim or explaining the difference with earlier reports that Al Minuki had been eliminated last year.
Al Minuki is believed to have been associated with extremist factions linked to the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), one of the deadliest jihadist groups operating in the Lake Chad Basin region, including northeastern Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
ISWAP emerged after a split from Boko Haram and has carried out numerous attacks on civilians, military installations, and humanitarian operations across the region. Nigerian authorities have repeatedly targeted senior commanders in efforts to weaken the insurgency.
However, publicly available information about Al Minuki remains limited, and intelligence agencies have rarely disclosed detailed profiles of mid- to high-ranking ISWAP figures.
The conflicting reports surrounding Al Minuki’s status highlight the broader challenges governments face when verifying militant deaths in conflict zones. In previous counterterrorism campaigns across Africa and the Middle East, extremist leaders reported killed have occasionally resurfaced later in propaganda videos or intelligence reports.
Security analysts note that militant groups often operate in remote territories where independent verification is difficult, making confirmation of leadership casualties complicated.
If confirmed, the operation would represent another significant collaboration between the United States and Nigeria in ongoing counterterrorism efforts aimed at containing Islamic State-affiliated insurgencies in West Africa.
The United States has long supported Nigeria’s military through intelligence sharing, surveillance assistance, and training programs designed to combat extremist organizations in the region.
Nigeria continues to battle insurgent violence that has displaced millions of people and caused widespread humanitarian crises, particularly in the country’s northeast. Both Boko Haram and ISWAP remain active despite years of military offensives.
President Trump’s statement signals continued US involvement in regional security operations amid growing international concern over the expansion of extremist networks across parts of Africa.
Military officials from both countries are expected to provide further clarification regarding the operation and the identity of the militant commander. Analysts say independent verification will be important in determining whether the individual killed was indeed the same Al Minuki previously declared dead in 2024.
