President Bola Tinubu has confirmed the killing of a senior Islamic State commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, during a joint military operation involving Nigerian and United States forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
In a statement released on Saturday, Bola Tinubu described the mission as a major success in the ongoing fight against terrorism and a strong example of security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
According to the President, Nigerian troops worked alongside US forces in what he called a “daring joint operation” that dealt a severe blow to the Islamic State network operating in the region. Initial assessments reportedly confirmed the death of Al-Manuki and several of his close associates during an airstrike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
Tinubu thanked Donald Trump for supporting the operation and praised the professionalism and bravery of military personnel from both countries. He also expressed hope for further coordinated offensives against terrorist groups across Nigeria.
The operation comes at a time of intensified military action against insurgent factions in Nigeria’s North-East and the wider Lake Chad region, where Islamic State-linked militants have continued attacks on military positions and civilian communities.
Earlier, Trump also confirmed the operation on Truth Social, describing Al-Manuki as “the most active terrorist in the world” and claiming he was regarded as the second-in-command of ISIS globally. Trump stated that the militant leader believed he could remain hidden in Africa but was tracked through intelligence sources.
He added that Al-Manuki had been sanctioned by the United States in 2023 because of his links to the Islamic State group and said his death would significantly weaken ISIS operations globally.
The joint mission highlights increasing military and intelligence cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in efforts to dismantle extremist networks operating across West Africa and the Lake Chad Basin.
