How we killed ISIS second-in-command – Army

A highly coordinated, joint military assault by Nigerian troops and U.S. forces in Borno State has resulted in the killing of Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, the global second-in-command of ISIS and top ISWAP leader in the Sahel.

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, in close coordination with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), have successfully eliminated Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, the global second-in-command of ISIS. A statement signed on Saturday, May 16, 2026, by the Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, revealed that the high-value target was neutralized during a meticulously planned precision air-land assault in Metele, Borno State. Al-Minuki, whose real name was identified as Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki, was a U.S.-designated Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) who served as the most senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander overseeing funding and operational logistics across the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel region.

The clandestine operation, which commenced at 12:01 a.m. and concluded around 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, was the culmination of months of intense intelligence gathering, legal electronic intercepts, and sustained reconnaissance. Military authorities disclosed that Al-Minuki and his international terrorist cell had established a highly fortified, concealed hideout within Sector 3 of the theater of operations. Once the location was confirmed, synchronized air-ground strikes were launched directly at the enclave by a combination of Nigerian and U.S. assets. To ensure the absolute containment of the cell, elite Special Forces units simultaneously secured the surrounding perimeters, effectively blocking all potential escape routes and establishing emergency extraction protocols for personnel.

The Military High Command confirmed that the high-level operation resulted in the deaths of Al-Minuki, several of his key lieutenants, and multiple frontline fighters, effectively disrupting a violent transnational network. Described as the most significant counter-terrorism victory recorded in the North-East theater since the inception of Operation HADIN KAI, the mission achieved its objectives without any casualties or loss of equipment to either Nigerian or U.S. forces. According to the official military statement, the successful deployment of multiple synchronized air platforms completely overwhelmed the enclave, leaving the targeted terrorists with “no avenue of escape.”

READ THE FULL STORY IN TRIBUNE