The Nigerian military has praised the joint US operation as part of an ongoing military operation to “hunt down and kill terrorists wherever they are.”
Published May 20, 2026
The Nigerian military, working with the United States, claims to have killed 175 ISIL (ISIS) fighters in a series of joint attacks in northeastern Nigeria in recent days.
Nigeria’s National Defense Headquarters announced on Tuesday that an operation conducted with the US Military Africa Command (AFRICOM) destroyed checkpoints, weapons depots, logistics hubs, military equipment and financing networks used by ISIL and the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP), which has led the long-standing struggle in the region.
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“Assessments indicate that as of May 19, 2026, 175 ISIS terrorists have been removed from the battlefield,” Maj. Gen. Samaira Uba, spokesperson for the Nigerian Defense Headquarters, said in a statement.
“This joint attack reinforces the Nigerian Armed Forces’ long-standing commitment to hunting down and killing terrorists wherever they are in Nigeria,” Uba said.
The announcement came after AFRICOM said it carried out the attack on Sunday in coordination with the Nigerian government. It also followed Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reporting that ISIL’s second-in-command, Abu Bilal Al-Minuki, also known as Abu Mainok, was killed along with “several of his lieutenants” in a joint Nigerian-US attack.
The Nigerian military said al-Minuki oversaw major ISIL operations in the Sahel and West Africa regions.
After Al Minuki’s death was announced, Tinubu thanked US President Donald Trump for his “leadership and unwavering support” in a social media post.
“I commend the professionalism and courage of both parties and look forward to more decisive attacks on all terrorist settlements across the country,” Tinubu said.
The Nigerian military on Tuesday also reported the killing of another senior militant, Abd al-Wahhab, who was responsible for coordinating ISWAP’s attack plans and propaganda, and two senior ISWAP officials, identified as Abu Musa al-Mangawi and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir.
Since suffering major setbacks in the Middle East, ISIL has shifted its focus to Africa, which accounted for 86% of ISIL’s global operations in the first three months of 2026, according to crisis monitoring group Armed Conflict Location and Event Data.
The United States announced in February that it had sent troops to Nigeria in what was seen primarily as an advisory and training role, but joint operations reported in recent days appear to signal a more active U.S. involvement in the country.
