The Federal Government has confirmed the killing of Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of ISIS-linked network 1515, in a joint military operation conducted by Nigerian forces and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in the Lake Chad region.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Saturday, the operation was executed a few hours earlier following coordinated intelligence and meticulous planning between both countries’ armed forces.
The ministry stated that Al-Minuki was implicated in a series of recent attacks on military formations in Nigeria’s North-East, and had been a high-value target in ongoing counterterrorism operations in the region.
The joint mission, described as precise and intelligence-driven, resulted in the elimination of the suspected insurgent commander, marking what officials described as a significant setback to extremist operations in the Lake Chad Basin.
The Federal Government commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to national security and praised the Government of the United States for its continued partnership and operational support in the fight against terrorism.
