Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has confirmed the killing of a senior Islamic State (IS) leader in a joint-operation with the US.

🌐 Here's What Happened

"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," Tinubu said in a statement.

The operation was first announced by US President Donald Trump, who described Abu-Bilal al-Minuki as the "second in command of ISIS globally".

Al‑Minuki was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by Washington in 2023.

📌 Key Details

Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the joint mission in Africa was "flawlessly executed... to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world".

The killing marks another significant setback for Islamic State group (IS) following the killing of its leader Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi in 2019.

Tinubu said in a statement that Al-Manuki was killed "along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin".

The Nigerian Military said the "precision operation" was made possible through the "recently formed US-Nigeria partnership and intelligence sharing efforts."

It said Al-Minuki had been promoted to "Head of General Directorate of States", making him one of the most senior figures within the global IS hierarchy.

Before that, officials said he oversaw IS-linked operations across the Sahel and West Africa, including attacks targeting civilians and minority communities.

📰 Source: BBC Africa