President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confirmed the killing of notorious ISIS commander Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, during a coordinated overnight operation carried out by Nigerian and United States forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
The confirmation followed an announcement by US President Donald Trump on Friday via his Truth Social platform, where he revealed that Al-Manuki — described as ISIS’s second-in-command globally — had been successfully eliminated in a joint military strike.
According to Trump, the operation was executed by “brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” describing the slain terrorist leader as one of the world’s most active extremist operatives.
Trump stated that Al-Manuki had been hiding in Africa while coordinating activities linked to the Islamic State terror network.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” Trump wrote.
He further noted that the terrorist commander would “no longer terrorize the people of Africa or help plan operations targeting Americans,” adding that the strike had dealt a major setback to ISIS’s global operations.
President Tinubu, in a statement released on Saturday, described the mission as a major victory in the ongoing war against terrorism and a strong example of international security cooperation.
“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,” Tinubu stated.
The President confirmed that early assessments showed Al-Manuki and several of his lieutenants were eliminated during the strike on their compound in the Lake Chad region.
Tinubu also expressed appreciation to the United States government and President Trump for their support and collaboration in strengthening regional and global security efforts.
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the President added.
