Nigeria’s military yesterday clarified that no American troops participated on the ground in the operation that killed Abu Bilal Al-Minuki, described as the global second-in-command of the Islamic State (ISIS), even as retired Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman hailed the mission as one of the most consequential counter-terrorism successes in Nigeria’s history and called for intensified operations against remaining insurgents.

The military said the operation, conducted around Metele in Borno State near the Lake Chad Basin, was carried out under Operation Hadin Kai in collaboration with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), with the United States providing intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and other operational support.

In televised remarks monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja said the operation followed months of intelligence gathering and close coordination between Nigerian and U.S. authorities.

He explained that earlier reports suggesting Al-Minuki had been killed in 2024 were based on mistaken identity because the militant operated under multiple aliases to evade detection.

United States President Donald Trump had announced on May 16 that “American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria” carried out what he described as a “meticulously planned” mission to eliminate Al-Minuki, whom he called “the most active terrorist in the world.”

International media reports indicated that the operation took place around Metele in northeastern Borno State, an area regarded as a major stronghold of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

U.S. authorities designated Al-Minuki as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” in 2023, linking him to ISIS logistics, explosives, financing, propaganda and coordination networks across West Africa and the Sahel.

Reacting to the development, Usman, a former Director of Army Public Relations, said the elimination of Al-Minuki and several other terrorists represented a major achievement in the country’s counter-insurgency campaign.

He described the mission as an “extraordinary milestone” in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, warning, however, that the killing of Al-Minuki should not lead to complacency because terrorist groups often regenerate leadership structures after setbacks.

He said the precision air-land operation deserved national recognition beyond newspaper headlines.

“What makes this operation particularly significant is not merely the elimination of a high-profile terrorist leader, but the symbolism and strategic consequences attached to it.”

If indeed Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki occupied the exalted but ignoble operational position attributed to him within the ISIS global network, then his elimination sends a clear message to terrorist organisations everywhere: there will be no sanctuary for those who orchestrate violence against innocent populations and sovereign nations,” he said.

Usman stressed that terrorism remained a global threat to peace, economic stability and human security, adding that the latest success should be viewed as an opportunity to intensify military gains rather than a sign that the war had ended.

“History teaches us that terrorist groups are adaptive, opportunistic and often quick to regenerate leadership structures after suffering battlefield setbacks. Therefore, the elimination of a major commander and a handful of his loyalists, however significant, must be viewed as a strategic opportunity to intensify and consolidate gains rather than a signal of mission accomplished,” he said.

Meanwhile, U.S. Congressman Riley Moore urged President Trump to sustain efforts against terrorists responsible for attacks on Christians in Nigeria.

Moore, reacting on social media to the operation, commended Trump for taking decisive action against Al-Minuki, whom he accused of involvement in violence and killings targeting Christians.

“Eliminating ISIS’ leadership sends a clear message: those who target innocent Christians will be hunted down and brought to justice,” Moore said.

He, however, argued that the operation should not be the final step, describing attacks on Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt as one of the world’s worst humanitarian and religious persecution crises.