President Bola Tinubu has confirmed the killing of a senior Islamic State leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, during a joint counterterrorism operation conducted by Nigerian and United States forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
In a statement issued from the State House on Saturday, Tinubu described the overnight mission as a “significant example of effective collaboration” between Nigeria and the United States in the ongoing fight against terrorism.
According to the President, the Nigerian Armed Forces, working alongside their US counterparts, carried out a daring operation that dealt a major blow to the Islamic State network. Early assessments, he said, confirmed the elimination of Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki and several of his lieutenants during a strike on his hideout in the Lake Chad Basin.
Tinubu expressed appreciation to the United States for its partnership in advancing shared security goals and extended gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his support and leadership. He also commended the military personnel involved for their professionalism and bravery, while expressing hope for more decisive operations against terrorist enclaves across the country.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced that American forces, in collaboration with the Nigerian military, successfully carried out the operation that led to the death of Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, who was identified as a top-ranking ISIS commander globally.
Speaking via a post on his Truth Social account on Saturday, Trump said the mission followed extensive intelligence gathering and strategic coordination aimed at tracking the activities of the terrorist leader in Africa.
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