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 carried out by Nigerian and United States forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
He said “Counterterrorism Operation Against ISIS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuk. “Overnight, Nigeria and the United States recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.
“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.
“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives. 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,” he stated.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social account on Saturday, Trump said the operation was the outcome of extensive intelligence gathering and strategic coordination aimed at tracking the activities of the terrorist leader in Africa.