President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised Nigerian and American troops following the killing of a senior ISIS commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, during a joint military operation in the Lake Chad Basin.
Gatekeepers News reports that the president confirmed the development on Saturday, describing the mission as a major success in the ongoing fight against terrorism and insurgency across the region.
“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State.
“Early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin”, Tinubu said.
He also commended United States President Donald Trump for supporting the operation and strengthening security cooperation between both countries.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation”, Tinubu said.
Trump had earlier announced the killing of Al-Manuki through a post on his Truth Social platform, describing the ISIS figure as the group’s second-in-command globally.
According to the US president, the operation was carried out by “brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria” and successfully removed “the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield.”
Trump stated that the slain ISIS leader had been hiding in Africa while coordinating extremist activities linked to the terror organisation.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” Trump wrote.
He added that the terrorist commander “will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” stressing that the mission had significantly weakened ISIS operations worldwide.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” Trump said.
The US president also appreciated the Nigerian government for cooperating in the operation.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” he added.
The Defence Headquarters later confirmed the death of Al-Manuki in a separate statement, describing him as a “wanted global terrorist.”
