The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Abuja, has confirmed the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as a senior ISIS commander, during a joint counterterrorism operation by Nigerian and United States forces.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Major General Samaila Uba, the military said al-Minuki was linked to the 2018 abduction of over 100 schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State, including Leah Sharibu, who has yet to be rescued.
The DHQ said the operation marked a major breakthrough in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel region.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with United States forces, has successfully conducted a meticulously planned and highly coordinated counterterrorism operation resulting in the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki,” the statement read.
The military said Minuki played a strategic role in coordinating ISIS activities beyond Nigeria’s borders, including propaganda, economic warfare, weapons development, explosives and drone technology.
“His death removes a critical node through which ISIS coordinated and directed operations across different regions of the world,” it added.
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