President Bola Tinubu, on Saturday, confirmed the killing of a wanted Islamic State (IS) leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, during a joint counterterrorism operation conducted by Nigerian and United States forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
Tinubu said the operation, carried out overnight by the Nigerian Armed Forces in collaboration with the Armed Forces of the United States, dealt “a heavy blow” to the ranks of the Islamic State.
According to the President, early assessments from the operation confirmed that Abu-Mainok and several of his lieutenants were eliminated during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
In a statement personally signed by him, Tinubu described the operation as a significant example of effective collaboration between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against terrorism.
“Overnight, Nigeria and the United States recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism,” the President said.
“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.”
He added that the successful operation underscored the importance of international partnerships in addressing security threats confronting the region.
“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives,” Tinubu stated.
The President also expressed gratitude to United States President Donald Trump for what he described as his “leadership and unwavering support” in the operation.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort,” he said.
Tinubu commended the military personnel involved in the operation on both sides for their professionalism and courage.
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the President added.
Meanwhile, for his part, US President Trump, in a post on his verified social media account, described the operation as a “meticulously planned and very complex mission” jointly executed by American and Nigerian forces.
The US President said the operation targeted Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the “second in command of ISIS globally.”
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump wrote.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished.”
Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation,” he added.
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