Public affairs analyst Darlington Umoru has described the reported killing of ISWAP commander Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki as a significant development in the fight against terrorism, noting that the insurgent figure had long been a target of international security agencies.…....
Umoru made the remarks on Monday, 18 May 2026, during an interview on TVC News while reacting to reports that Al-Manuki was killed during a joint military operation involving Nigerian and United States forces.
Speaking on the operation, the analyst said the insurgent commander had remained under close watch because of his influence and involvement in different leadership positions within the terrorist network. “When Abu first became the number person in ISIS, the security focused on him. He has held several positions in ISIS even when he was operating from particularly in Africa,” Umoru said during the interview.
According to him, Al-Manuki’s activities and connections within extremist groups made him a high-value target for both local and international security agencies. He noted that intelligence services had reportedly tracked his movements and operations for years due to concerns about the expansion of terrorist activities across parts of Africa.
The comments come amid intensified military offensives against insurgent groups operating in Nigeria’s North-East region. Security forces have in recent months stepped up operations targeting camps and commanders linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other extremist factions.
