The Defence Headquarters (DHQ)has confirmed the identity of a prominent ISIS figure, Abu Bilal Al-Minuki, who was killed in a collaborative operation between the Nigerian armed forces and the United States Africa Command on May 16, 2026.
The senior military leadership, in a statement released on Saturday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, stated that the explanation was needed after media coverage mentioned an analogous operation in 2024 where a terrorist with a comparable name was allegedly killed.
As per the DHQ, the reports have sparked inquiries in certain parts of the media about the identity of the terrorist who was recently eliminated.
The Abu Bilal Al-Minuki, who was eliminated on May 16, 2026, has been confirmed via human intelligence and technical monitoring as a high-ranking global figure in the Islamic State organization, with direct connections to international terrorist coordination, financing, and activities throughout the Sahel. Therefore, there is no doubt about his identity.
The DHQ referred to the removal of the ISIS leader as a “major achievement” in continuous anti-terrorism efforts.
It stated that the Nigerian Armed Forces, working together with the United States, are dedicated to dismantling extremist groups and will keep sharing confirmed details via official sources.
The armed forces also called on the media and general public to use only authorized channels to prevent misunderstandings caused by similarities in terrorist names and identities.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).
