Nigeria and US launch second known anti-ISIS operation targeting senior militant leader
Nigerian and United States forces have carried out what appears to be their second publicly known joint anti-ISIS operation in Nigeria, targeting senior militant leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki in a renewed counterterrorism push across the Lake Chad Basin.
Black News 
Nigerian and United States forces have carried out what appears to be their second publicly known joint anti-ISIS operation in Nigeria, targeting senior militant leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki in a renewed counterterrorism push across the Lake Chad Basin.
- Nigerian and US forces conducted a joint operation targeting senior ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki in the Lake Chad Basin.
- US President Trump announced the successful mission, emphasizing the use of intelligence to track al-Minuki's movements.
- Nigerian President Tinubu confirmed the strike and stated that several high-ranking ISIS members, including al-Minuki, were eliminated.
- This operation marks the second publicly known US strike in Nigeria, following a 2025 airstrike on ISIS-linked targets in Sokoto State.
US President Donald Trump announced yesterday that a joint operation between Nigerian and United States military forces in the Lake Chad Basin killed the global "second-in-command" of ISIS.
President Trump made the announcement on his official Truth Social account, stating, “Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield: Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second-in-command of ISIS globally.”
He further referenced leveraging intelligence reports from those monitoring the terrorist's movements, adding that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki “thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.”
Nigerian leader, Tinubu responds
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued an official statement regarding the matter, confirming the joint operation on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
He stated, “Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State.”
President Tinubu further explained that the operation not only eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki but also other key ISIS terrorists, adding, “Early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.”
He later expressed appreciation to the United States for collaborating with Nigerian forces to achieve shared security objectives, while President Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for the partnership.
The first publicly known US strike in Nigeria took place on Christmas Day 2025, when American forces carried out coordinated airstrikes on ISIS-linked targets in Sokoto State in the country’s northwest.
The operation, conducted with Nigerian government approval, targeted militant camps linked to Islamic State affiliates and marked a major escalation in US military involvement in Nigeria’s counterterrorism campaign.
Just a few weeks ago, the terrorist group further demonstrated its notoriety by claiming responsibility for a deadly attack that killed 29 people on a football pitch in Nigeria's northeastern Adamawa State.
Consequently, while many have applauded the joint operation as a move in the right direction, others have criticized the Nigerian government for not doing enough to independently combat terrorists in the West African nation.
Victor Awogbemila
