Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, once a senior Boko Haram commander and later the Islamic State’s global deputy leader, built a feared reputation across West Africa’s blood-soaked insurgencies.
The Nigerian militant, also known as al-Manuki or Abu-Mainok, was described by US officials as one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists.
Born in Mainok town in northeastern Nigeria, al-Minuki rose through Boko Haram before pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2015.
Nigerian authorities said he coordinated Islamic State-linked attacks across the Sahel, targeting military positions and vulnerable ethnic and religious communities.
The United States sanctioned him in 2023 as a “specially designated global terrorist” for his growing operational influence.
US and Nigerian forces killed al-Minuki during a joint counterterrorism operation carried out in remote northeastern Nigeria over the weekend.
Nigeria’s military described the mission as a highly coordinated precision air-land operation designed to strike Islamic State West Africa Province strongholds.
Military spokesman Major-General Michael Onoja said American forces provided intelligence, surveillance support and satellite tracking assistance during the mission.
According to intelligence sources, al-Minuki was tracked through multiple phone lines, including a frequently used Thuraya satellite phone.
Airstrikes reportedly targeted militant positions in Metele, Dogon Chukwu and Matari, volatile areas surrounding the Lake Chad basin frontier.
At least 17 militants were killed alongside al-Minuki, including foreign jihadists believed to have trained fighters in drone warfare tactics.
US President Donald Trump praised the operation, saying the militant would “no longer terrorize the people of Africa.”
Security analyst Kabir Adamu called the killing an important tactical victory but warned extremist networks could quickly regroup without sustained pressure.
He also warned Islamic State West Africa Province fighters may launch retaliatory attacks against Nigerian military installations following al-Minuki’s death.