ABUJA, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said on Saturday that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second-in-command of the Islamic State (IS) globally, was eliminated in an overnight operation jointly carried out by Nigerian and U.S. forces.
In a statement, Tinubu described the joint operation as "a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism," which dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the IS.
He said early assessments confirmed the elimination of the wanted senior leader, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
Tinubu commended the soldiers for their courage and professionalism and hailed the partnership between both countries in advancing shared security objectives. He also called for more decisive strikes against terrorist enclaves across West Africa.
Earlier on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that the IS leader had been killed in a joint operation by U.S. and Nigerian forces.
Born in Nigeria's northeastern Borno State in 1982, al-Minuki assumed leadership of the IS branch in West Africa after the killing of former regional leader Mamman Nur in 2018, according to the Counter Extremism Project, which monitors militant groups.
The group said Al-Manuki was based in the Sahel region and was sanctioned by the United States in 2023. ■