ISIS second in command killed in joint US-Nigerian overnight operation

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that American and Nigerian military forces had killed a top ISIS leader.

In a Truth Social post, the president revealed the ISIS leader to be Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he explained was ISIS’s second-in-command.

“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,” the president wrote.

“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. He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” he added.

“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…” -… pic.twitter.com/KF8MYet9CB

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 16, 2026

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu also confirmed the operation.

“Overnight, Nigeria and the United States recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism,” he wrote on X. “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.”

“Early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives,” he added.

Overnight, Nigeria and the United States recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.

Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a…

— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) May 16, 2026

According to the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which refers to him as Al-Mainuki, he was born in Nigeria’s Borno State in 1982 and later became ISIS’s senior operative in Africa.

In June of 2023, the then-Biden administration designated him a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” describing him at the time as “a Sahel-based ISIS GDP al-Furqan Office senior leader.”

GDP is short for General Directorate of Provinces, which denotes ISIS’s central administrative structure.

The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) notes that Al-Minuki “had a troubled relationship with Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.”

“At some point between March 2015 and early 2016, Shekau declined an ISIS request to send fighters to Libya,” according to CEP. “Instead, al-Mainuki—who was serving as [the Islamic State West Africa Province’s] Lake Chad area commander—sent fighters instead.”

This “deteriorated relations with Shekau as the Boko Haram leader resented those seeking a closer working relationship with ISIS.”

Eventually, over time, Minuki became the senior leader of ISIS’s al-Furqan Office, which CEP notes is “one of ISIS’s most vigorous and best-established regional networks.”

“The regional offices provide ISIS affiliates with operational guidance and international funding,” according to CEP. “The al-Furqan office covers Nigeria and its neighbors, as well as Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) affiliate in the western Sahel.”

All this comes over half a year after Trump in November pressured Nigeria to take more action against ISIS terrorism.

Trump raises alarm over the threat facing Christians in Nigeria, calling for global action. pic.twitter.com/fyqHK8Wwv5

— Talk Church (@churchtalkative) November 7, 2025

He accused the Nigerian government of not doing its part to stop the killings of Christians by terrorists.

He went so far as to threaten that the U.S. “may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

His call for action was backed by War Secretary Pete Hegseth:

Yes sir.

The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities. pic.twitter.com/C0v9RHGoS1

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) November 1, 2025

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