Abuja, Nigeria | May 18, 2026
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has clarified reports surrounding the elimination of a high-profile terrorist commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, during a joint operation conducted with the United States Africa Command on May 16, 2026.
In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the military confirmed that the Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki killed during the operation was positively identified as a senior global operative of the Islamic State network.
According to the statement, some media reports in 2024 had earlier claimed the elimination of a terrorist commander bearing the same name. However, the DHQ explained that the use of similar or identical names is common among ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters operating within the North-East region and across the Lake Chad Basin.
The military noted that the practice forms part of the terrorists’ indoctrination strategy aimed at concealing identities and complicating intelligence gathering efforts. It added that this trend has been consistently observed during counter-terrorism operations in the North-East.
The Defence Headquarters further disclosed that the Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki eliminated on May 16, 2026, was identified through human intelligence and technical surveillance as a senior operative with direct links to international terrorist coordination, funding, and operations across the Sahel region.
