United States President Donald Trump has praised the Nigerian government and the country’s military following a joint operation that reportedly led to the killing of a top ISIS commander identified as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.…....
Trump made the announcement on Saturday in a post shared on his Truth Social account, where he described the operation as “meticulously planned” and successfully carried out by American and Nigerian forces.
“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,” Trump wrote.
According to him, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was the second-in-command of ISIS globally and had been operating from Africa while allegedly helping to coordinate terrorist activities.
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” Trump stated.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation.”
The development marks another phase in the growing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against terrorism and Islamist insurgency.
The latest operation comes months after Trump criticised the Nigerian government over insecurity, accusing authorities of not doing enough to protect Christians from attacks by Islamist militants.
The Trump administration later redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” a move linked to allegations of religious persecution and insecurity.
However, Nigerian authorities have consistently denied claims of religious genocide, insisting that terrorism and banditry affect both Christians and Muslims across different parts of the country.
On December 25 last year, the United States carried out strikes on suspected Islamist targets in northwestern Nigeria following Trump’s earlier comments on insecurity.
In February 2026, discussions between both countries reportedly included plans for a drone refuelling station as part of a broader security partnership between Washington and Abuja.
The collaboration further expanded in March when the US deployed multiple MQ-9 Reaper drones and about 200 troops to Nigeria to support military operations through intelligence sharing and training.
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters had earlier confirmed that Nigerian and American forces would engage in joint military training and intelligence-focused operations aimed at combating extremist groups operating within the region.
Security analysts say the latest operation signals increasing military cooperation between both nations amid growing concerns over insurgency and transnational terrorism in West Africa.