Donald Trump announced that US and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al‑Minuki, whom he described as the Islamic State’s “second in command” worldwide. The former president posted the claim on his Truth Social platform, saying the operation was carried out at his direction and crediting both American personnel and the Nigerian military.
Trump said al‑Minuki believed he could hide in Africa but that US sources kept track of his activities. He added that the senior militant would no longer be able to terrorize people in Africa or help plan attacks against Americans, and said the removal greatly diminished ISIS’s global capabilities.
The president thanked Nigeria for its partnership but did not disclose where the operation occurred or what form the strike took.
Al‑Minuki, a Nigerian national, was placed under US sanctions in 2023 and was designated at that time as a specially designated global terrorist by the Biden administration. US authorities described him then as a Sahel‑based Islamic State senior leader and a member of the group’s general directorate of provinces, the body said to provide operational guidance and funding to affiliates.
Trump has previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants in parts of the country. Nigerian officials reject allegations of religious discrimination, saying security forces target armed groups that attack both Christians and Muslims.
The United States conducted strikes targeting Islamic State‑linked militants in Nigeria in December. Since then, Washington has deployed drones and roughly 200 troops to support the Nigerian military with training and intelligence against Islamic State and al‑Qaeda‑linked insurgencies spreading across West Africa. Nigerian military officials have said US personnel are operating in a non‑combat role.
Reporting includes material from Agence France‑Presse and Reuters.
