United States President Donald J. Trump has publicly thanked the Nigerian government following what he described as a successful joint military operation between American forces and the Nigerian Armed Forces that reportedly killed a top ISIS leader in Africa.
In a statement shared on social media, Trump said the operation led to the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally and one of the world’s most active terrorists.
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According to Trump, the mission was “meticulously planned” and “very complex,” involving close cooperation between U.S. forces and Nigerian military personnel.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation,” Trump stated while praising both American and Nigerian troops for what he called a flawlessly executed mission.
The former U.S. president claimed that the ISIS figure had been hiding in Africa and was being tracked through intelligence sources before the operation was carried out.
Trump further asserted that the death of the alleged ISIS deputy leader would significantly weaken the terrorist group’s global operations and reduce threats against Africans and Americans alike.
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The statement has drawn international attention due to its reference to direct collaboration between the United States and Nigeria in counterterrorism operations on the African continent.
However, as of press time, neither the Nigerian government nor the Nigerian military had officially confirmed the operation or the reported killing of the ISIS commander.
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Nigeria has in recent years intensified military cooperation with international allies in efforts to combat terrorism and insurgency, particularly in the North-East region and across the Lake Chad basin, where extremist groups linked to ISIS and Boko Haram remain active.