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Abuja, FCT – By Prime Brief Media

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday confirmed that a carefully coordinated joint military operation involving Nigerian and United States special forces has killed Abu‑Bilal al‑Minuki, the second‑in‑command of ISIS globally. The strike, which took place deep in the Lake Chad Basin, is being described by security analysts as the most significant decapitation of the terror group’s leadership in the region since the death of Abubakar Shekau.

“I thank President Donald Trump and the brave men and women of both our armed forces. This operation is a significant example of effective collaboration between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against terror,” Tinubu said in a statement released early on Sunday. The President disclosed that the operation was weeks in the making, relying on a fusion of human intelligence, signals intercepts, and aerial surveillance. Al‑Minuki was reportedly tracked to a remote island camp where he was coordinating cross‑border attacks and the smuggling of arms and fighters.

The Lake Chad Basin has served as the main theatre for ISIS‑West Africa Province (ISWAP), and al‑Minuki’s elimination is expected to severely disrupt the group’s command structure and its ability to mount large‑scale offensives. Defence sources said several of his key lieutenants were also killed in the strike. “This is a catastrophic blow for ISIS. Al‑Minuki was not just a theatre commander; he was a member of the global shura council. His death saves countless lives,” said a senior intelligence officer who asked not to be named.

President Tinubu used the occasion to reiterate Nigeria’s commitment to the global coalition against terrorism and called for sustained intelligence‑sharing and logistics support from partners. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has not issued a separate statement, but White House officials privately confirmed the operation. The joint mission underscores a deepening security partnership between Abuja and Washington, which NSA Nuhu Ribadu has prioritised in recent high‑level talks.

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