On Saturday, May 16, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the social media platform Truth Social that U.S. and Nigerian forces had eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, regarded as the deputy caliph of the Islamic State, ISIS.
Photo: US Army
„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. 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. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Donald Trump
Nigerian national Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, born Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Mainuki in 1982 in Mainok, Borno State, was a local ISIS commander and deputy to the fifth ISIS caliph, Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi. He operated mainly in the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin, where he led ISIS structures in West Africa.
On June 8, 2023, the U.S. Department of State designated him as a terrorist and placed him on the Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) list for his role in directing operations, financing, and coordinating ISIS cells in Africa.
Al-Mainuki reportedly held the position of regional commander in ISIS following the execution of the leader of ISIS in West Africa, Mamman Nur, in 2018. Al-Mainuki was Nur’s main rival, and as a leading figure in ISIS, he was described as a hardline militant.
According to regional researchers, Al-Mainuki also had tense relations with Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau. At some point between March 2015 and early 2016, Shekau rejected an ISIS request to send fighters to Libya. Instead, al-Mainuki, who served as ISIS commander in the Lake Chad area, sent fighters. Al-Mainuki’s actions further worsened relations with Shekau, as the Boko Haram leader resented those seeking closer cooperation with ISIS.
It is not known when Al-Mainuki became a senior leader of ISIS’s Al-Furqan Office, one of ISIS’s most active and best-developed regional networks. Regional offices provide ISIS affiliates with operational support and international funding. The Al-Furqan Office covers Nigeria and its neighbors, as well as the Islamic State branch in the Greater Sahara in the western Sahel.
“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. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS…” -… pic.twitter.com/KF8MYet9CB
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 16, 2026
UPDATE
U.S. Africa Command released drone footage:
Last night’s operation targeted a significant presence of ISIS fighters in Northeastern Nigeria eliminating multiple high value individuals including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. pic.twitter.com/lNj4AMSITH
— U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) (@USAfricaCommand) May 16, 2026
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