Eshioromeh Sebastian
The Defence Headquarters has announced that joint military operations with United States Africa Command have killed 175 ISIS terrorists in northeastern Nigeria as of May 19, 2026, dealing what officials describe as a devastating blow to the terrorist network.
The operations, which began several days ago, have resulted in the destruction of ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistical hubs, military equipment, and financial networks used to sustain terrorist operations in the region, a statement by Defense Headquarters confirmed.
Among those eliminated was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by both governments as the global second-in-command of the Islamic State and “the most active terrorist in the world”.
Al-Minuki played a central role in ISIS external operations, coordinating terrorist financing, recruitment, logistics, and attack planning targeting Nigerians and innocent civilians around the world.
Other terrorist figures killed in the joint strikes include Abd-al Wahhab, an ISWAP senior leader responsible for coordinating attacks and distributing propaganda; Abu Musa al-Mangawi, an ISWAP senior member; and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, an ISWAP senior media production team manager who was a close confidant to al-Minuki.
The operation that eliminated al-Minuki was carried out on May 15 on the orders of United States President Donald Trump, who earlier this year sent a contingent of American troops to Nigeria to support operations against militants .
President Bola Tinubu confirmed the elimination, stating in a personally signed statement that “preliminary assessments confirm the elimination of al-Minuki, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on a compound in the Lake Chad Basin” According to the Presidency, the operation was built on months of verified intelligence, including surveillance, communications monitoring, and human intelligence that began as far back as December 2025 .
Intelligence agencies used prolonged Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance operations, phone intercepts, and human sources to map al-Minuki’s movements across northern Nigeria, including Abuja and Maiduguri, up to days before the final action .The Defence Headquarters confirmed that no Nigerian soldier was killed during the operation that eliminated al-Minuki .
The United States provided intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support, but no foreign soldiers participated in ground operations .
Following the elimination of al-Minuki, additional strikes were conducted on May 17 in the Metele area of Borno State after surveillance detected the gathering and movement of suspected militants .
Those strikes killed more than 20 ISIS fighters, bringing the total number of eliminated terrorists to 175 .The U.S. Africa Command confirmed that intelligence had verified the targets as ISIS militants and that no American or Nigerian personnel were harmed during the operations .
The Presidency has addressed skepticism following the operation, noting that an earlier report in 2024 had mistakenly linked al-Minuki’s name to operations around Birnin Gwari forest in Kaduna State .
Security officials explained that the earlier report was a case of mistaken identity, noting that Birnin Gwari was never within al-Minuki’s operational sphere .
“This time, there is no ambiguity,” the Presidency said, with security authorities stating they are “100 per cent certain” of the elimination.
President Tinubu thanked the United States for its support, saying: “Nigeria appreciates our partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives.
I extend my sincere appreciation to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this endeavor” .
AFRICOM’s General Dagvin Anderson described the mission as underscoring the value of a growing U.S.-Nigeria partnership that has taken shape in recent months.
“Make no mistake, our two nations will relentlessly pursue and neutralize terrorist threats and are committed to protecting our people and interests,” Anderson said.
The Defence Headquarters stated that joint operations will continue to hunt down and destroy those who threaten the nation and regional stability.
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