Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by President Donald Trump as the second-in-command of ISIL globally, was killed during a joint operation conducted by US and Nigerian forces in northeastern Nigeria, according to statements from both governments.
Trump announced the operation on Friday, calling al-Minuki “the most active terrorist in the world” and saying the mission was carried out flawlessly by American and Nigerian forces.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu described the strike as a “daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow” to ISIL’s operations in Africa.
The Nigerian military said al-Minuki and several of his lieutenants were killed during a strike on a fortified compound in the Lake Chad Basin region after months of intelligence gathering and reconnaissance.
Officials said the operation began shortly after midnight on Saturday and resulted in no casualties among the forces involved.
The strike targeted a compound in Metele, in Nigeria’s Borno State, an area long associated with Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The Lake Chad Basin spans parts of Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon and has remained a key operational zone for armed groups linked to ISIL.
The US State Department designated al-Minuki a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” in 2023, identifying him as a senior ISIL leader linked to the group’s General Directorate of Provinces.
Nigerian military officials said he had recently been promoted to lead the “General Directorate of States”, placing him among the highest-ranking figures within the global ISIL hierarchy.
The military also linked him to attacks targeting civilians and minority communities across West Africa, as well as the 2018 Dapchi schoolgirls kidnapping in northeastern Nigeria.
The operation reflects expanding military cooperation between Washington and Abuja as Nigeria continues efforts to combat a long-running insurgency in the region.
Trump said al-Minuki’s death had significantly weakened ISIL’s command structures and funding networks in Africa and beyond.
He also thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation.
The joint mission follows earlier coordinated strikes by US and Nigerian forces, including a December air strike in Sokoto State targeting ISIL-linked fighters.
Nigeria has said US personnel deployed in the country are serving in noncombat roles focused on intelligence sharing and technical support.