DHQ Clarifies Identity of Terrorist Commander Killed in Joint Nigeria-US Operation
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has clarified concerns surrounding the recent neutralisation of a terrorist commander identified as Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki during a joint counter-terrorism operation conducted with the United States Africa Command on May 16, 2026.
The clarification followed public discussions and media reports drawing comparisons with a similar operation in 2024, in which a terrorist commander bearing the same name was reportedly killed.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the recurrence of identical names and aliases among Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters is common within the North-East and the Lake Chad Basin.
According to him, the practice forms part of the terrorists’ indoctrination strategy aimed at concealing identities and complicating intelligence tracking by security forces.
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“It is important to state that within the North East region and across the Lake Chad Basin, the use of similar or identical names, aliases and nom de guerres is common among ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists,” the statement said.
The DHQ explained that the Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki eliminated in the latest operation was positively identified through a combination of human intelligence and technical surveillance.
It described the deceased as a senior global operative within the Islamic State network with direct involvement in international terrorist coordination, funding and operations across the Sahel region.
“There is therefore no ambiguity in his identity,” the Defence Headquarters stated.
The military authority described the successful operation as a major breakthrough in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts aimed at dismantling terrorist structures operating within Nigeria and the wider Sahel region.
The DHQ further reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with the United States, to sustaining pressure on terrorist networks and enhancing regional security.
It also urged the public and media organisations to rely on verified official sources for information relating to counter-terrorism operations in order to avoid misinformation arising from similarities in terrorist aliases.
By PRNigeria
