The Defence Headquarters has announced that coordinated airstrikes conducted jointly by the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the United States Africa Command have eliminated 175 ISIS terrorists across multiple enclaves in the North-East, including a senior ISIS operative described as one of the most significant figures in the organization’s global external operations network.
Director of Defence Information Major-General Samaila Uba said assessments as of May 19 confirmed 175 ISIS fighters neutralized since the operations commenced, with the strikes also destroying ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistical hubs, military equipment, and financial networks.
Among those killed was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as having played a major role in ISIS external operations by coordinating terrorist financing, recruitment, logistics, and attack planning targeting Nigerians and civilians globally. Other senior figures killed included Abd-al Wahhab, an ISWAP leader responsible for coordinating attacks and propaganda, Abu Musa al-Mangawi, and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, a senior ISWAP media production specialist and close associate of al-Minuki.
The military said the joint operations would continue until all individuals and groups threatening national security and regional stability were dismantled.
