The Presidency and the Defence Headquarters have jointly addressed public concerns surrounding the reported killing of an Islamic State-linked commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, following a recent Nigeria–United States counterterrorism operation.
The clarification comes after questions emerged over claims that a similarly named terrorist had been declared killed in an earlier military operation in 2024, raising doubts about the identity of the latest target.
According to reports, Al-Manuki—also known by aliases such as Abu-Mainok and Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki—was eliminated during a joint strike carried out on May 16, 2026. The operation was confirmed by both Nigerian and U.S. officials, with U.S. President Donald Trump describing it as a coordinated effort involving American and Nigerian forces against a senior ISIS-linked figure.
However, the announcement sparked public debate due to previous records suggesting a commander with a similar name had already been neutralised in earlier operations. In response, presidential aides clarified that the earlier reports were based on mistaken identity or misattribution during ongoing counterinsurgency activities.
The Presidency explained that extensive intelligence work, including surveillance and communication tracking, was conducted over several months before the latest operation. Officials also noted that the target had been monitored across multiple locations prior to the final strike approval.
The Defence Headquarters further stated that confusion often arises due to the use of multiple aliases among terrorist groups operating in the North-East and the Lake Chad Basin. It emphasized that the latest target was positively identified through both human intelligence and technical surveillance.
Military authorities maintained that the operation successfully eliminated a key figure involved in terrorist coordination and financing across the Sahel region, describing it as a significant achievement in Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.
Officials urged the public and media to rely on verified military communications to avoid confusion caused by overlapping identities and similar names among insurgent groups.
