President Bola Tinubu has verified the death of Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also identified as Abu-Mainok, a high-ranking Islamic State commander, during a collaborative counterterrorism mission executed by Nigerian and American forces around the Lake Chad Basin. This announcement came through a statement released from the State House on Saturday.
The operation, which took place overnight, was hailed by Tinubu as a “major demonstration of efficient partnership” in the global fight against extremism. He emphasized that the mission was a joint effort between the Nigerian Armed Forces and the United States military.
“Our courageous military personnel, alongside their US counterparts, undertook a bold combined action that inflicted a severe setback on the Islamic State,” Tinubu stated. He added that initial reports confirm the elimination of the wanted senior IS leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, often called Abu-Mainok, together with many of his associates, following an attack on his hideout in the Lake Chad region.
The President also thanked former US President Donald Trump for his contributions and direction, noting that Nigeria values this cooperative relationship with the United States in pursuing common security goals. He praised the professionalism and bravery of the troops from both nations and expressed optimism about further decisive operations against terrorist strongholds nationwide.
Previously, President Trump had announced on his Truth Social platform that American forces, alongside Nigeria’s military, had conducted a joint strike that resulted in the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the second-in-command of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) globally. Trump attributed the success to extensive intelligence gathering and strategic coordination aimed at monitoring the terrorist leader’s activities in Africa.