The Defence Headquarters has issued a clarification on the recent elimination of a high-profile Islamic State terrorist commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki.
In a statement, Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, confirmed that the terrorist eliminated in a joint operation with the United States Africa Command on May 16, 2026 was a senior global operative of the Islamic State network with direct links to international coordination, funding, and operations across the Sahel.
The DHQ noted that earlier media reports in 2024 claiming the elimination of another terrorist bearing the same name were incorrect. It explained that the use of similar or identical names is a common tactic among ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters to deliberately obscure their identities.
The latest Al-Minuki was positively identified through human intelligence and technical surveillance.