ISIS Deputy Commander Killed in Joint US-Nigerian Operation, Trump Claims
United States President Donald Trump has announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of the Islamic State (ISIS), was killed during a joint military operation carried out by American and Nigerian troops in Nigeria.
Trump disclosed this in a social media post early Saturday, stating that the operation was conducted under his directive and involved a carefully coordinated mission between the US military and the Nigerian Armed Forces.
According to him, al-Minuki, whom he described as one of the world’s most active terrorists, had been hiding in Africa before being tracked through intelligence sources.
“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.
He added that the deceased militant, identified as ISIS’ global second-in-command, would no longer pose a threat to Africa or support plans targeting American interests, stressing that the operation had significantly weakened the group’s international network.
Trump also commended the Nigerian government for its cooperation and support in carrying out the mission.
US-Nigeria security collaboration
The operation comes amid growing military cooperation between Nigeria and the United States following Washington’s renewed designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
Earlier reports indicated that discussions around the security partnership included a request by the US for a drone refuelling facility in Nigeria.
In March, the US reportedly deployed several MQ-9 drones and about 200 military personnel to Nigeria to assist with intelligence sharing and training as part of efforts to combat Islamist insurgency.
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters had previously stated that both countries would deepen intelligence cooperation and engage in joint military training exercises aimed at strengthening counterterrorism operations.
Previous US military operation in Nigeria
The reported killing of al-Minuki marks another major US-linked military action in Nigeria.
In late 2025, the US conducted intelligence surveillance flights over parts of Nigeria. On Christmas Day, air strikes targeted terrorist hideouts in the Bauni forest area of Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Although early reports claimed the operation involved Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from a naval vessel in the Gulf of Guinea, later accounts suggested drones were used.
Residents in parts of Sokoto and Kwara states reportedly witnessed explosions during the strikes, with the federal government later attributing incidents in Kwara to debris from precision-guided munitions deployed during the operation.
