President Donald Trump said American and Nigerian forces had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by U.S. officials as the Islamic State group’s global second-in-command, during a joint counterterrorism operation in Africa.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called al-Minuki “the most active terrorist in the world” and said the operation had been “meticulously planned.” He said the ISIS leader had been hiding in Africa and was tracked through intelligence before being killed alongside several associates.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described the operation as a major success for counterterrorism cooperation between Abuja and Washington. Nigerian authorities said al-Minuki, a Nigerian national linked to Islamic State networks operating in the Lake Chad Basin, had been on international terror watchlists for years.
The operation comes amid growing military cooperation between the United States and Nigeria against Islamist militant groups in West Africa. Since late 2025, Washington has expanded intelligence-sharing, drone surveillance, and military assistance to Nigerian forces as concerns grow over the spread of ISIS-affiliated organisations and Boko Haram insurgents across the region.
Few details about the operation have been released publicly. Neither the Pentagon nor U.S. Africa Command immediately provided further information about where the strike took place or what military assets were used.
