A senior Islamic State leader described by President Donald Trump as one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists has been killed during a joint military operation conducted by U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin, according to officials from both countries.
According to a report by BBC News, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed alongside several top lieutenants during a coordinated strike targeting an Islamic State compound in northeastern Nigeria.
Joint US-Nigeria Operation Targets IS Leadership
The Nigerian military said the operation took place shortly after midnight on Saturday following months of intelligence gathering and reconnaissance.
The strike targeted a fortified base in Metele, located in Nigeria’s Borno state near the Lake Chad Basin, a region that has long served as a stronghold for extremist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
President Trump described al-Minuki as the “second in command of ISIS globally” and called him “the most active terrorist in the world.”
Key Figure in Islamic State Operations
Nigerian officials said Abu-Bilal al-Minuki had recently been elevated to oversee IS operations across multiple regions, making him one of the highest-ranking figures within the global Islamic State network.
The United States designated him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2023.
Authorities linked him to numerous extremist operations throughout West Africa and the Sahel region, including attacks against civilians and minority communities.
The Nigerian military also connected al-Minuki to the 2018 Dapchi schoolgirls kidnapping carried out by Boko Haram militants in northeastern Nigeria.
Islamic State Activity Expands Across Africa
Security analysts say Islamic State operations have increasingly shifted toward sub-Saharan Africa in recent years.
Reports indicate that nearly 90% of IS attacks now occur across African regions, with Nigeria-based factions remaining among the most active and dangerous branches of the organization.
Before aligning with Islamic State in 2015, al-Minuki reportedly served as a senior Boko Haram commander.
The extremist group pledged allegiance to ISIS during the height of Boko Haram’s insurgency campaign, which began in 2009 with the goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate governed by Sharia law.
The operation highlights expanding international security partnerships as the Trump administration strengthens cooperation with foreign governments on counterterrorism operations. The development also comes amid broader global discussions involving Trump’s foreign policy coordination with international allies and evolving geopolitical security concerns.
Trump Praises Nigeria Partnership
President Trump praised Nigeria for its cooperation following the successful operation.
In a statement, Trump said al-Minuki’s death would disrupt Islamic State funding channels and command structures across Africa and beyond.
He also thanked the Nigerian government for its “partnership” and said the militant leader would “no longer terrorize the people of Africa or help plan operations to target Americans.”
Growing Military Cooperation
The United States and Nigeria have expanded military coordination in recent years as Nigeria continues battling extremist violence that has destabilized parts of the country for more than a decade.
Last Christmas, the two countries reportedly conducted a joint airstrike in Sokoto state targeting IS-linked militant groups.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu recently defended the country’s growing security partnerships with international allies, arguing that global security challenges require multinational cooperation.
The increasing collaboration also follows earlier criticism from Trump regarding Nigeria’s handling of attacks against vulnerable communities — concerns Nigerian officials have repeatedly disputed.
The broader security discussions come as the Trump administration continues balancing international alliances alongside other global policy priorities, including economic and geopolitical negotiations involving China and major world powers.
Questions Over Previous Claims
The Nigerian military acknowledged that it had previously announced al-Minuki’s death in 2024 but later discovered the individual killed at that time was a different militant using the same alias.
Nigeria’s military has faced criticism in the past for prematurely declaring the deaths of extremist leaders, including former Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau before his death was officially confirmed in 2021.
Despite those earlier inaccuracies, officials insist this latest operation definitively eliminated al-Minuki.
What Happens Next
Security experts expect the operation to weaken Islamic State’s command structure in West Africa, though analysts warn extremist groups in the region remain highly active and resilient.
The joint strike also signals a deeper level of military coordination between Washington and African partners as terrorism threats continue evolving across the continent.
As the Trump administration expands international counterterrorism partnerships, operations like the Lake Chad Basin strike may become increasingly central to U.S. foreign policy and global security strategy.
He was a senior Islamic State leader linked to extremist operations across West Africa and the Sahel region
The operation took place in Nigeria’s Borno state near the Lake Chad Basin.