The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has revealed that a collaborative counterterrorism offensive by Nigerian troops and United States forces has resulted in the elimination of 175 ISIS fighters in the country’s north-east region.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Director of Defence Information Sumaila Uba confirmed that the military operations commenced a few days prior. The high-impact mission was executed in tandem with the United States Africa Command (US-AFRICOM) to target active ISIS cells hiding in the zone.
“As of 19 May 2026, assessments indicate that 175 ISIS terrorists have been eliminated from the battlefield,” the statement said.
The DHQ noted that the precision strikes inflicted heavy damage on the infrastructure backing the insurgency, successfully dismantling key operational installations.
“The joint strikes have resulted in the destruction of ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistical hubs, military equipment and financial networks used to sustain terrorist operations,” the statement added.
Top Command Structures Shattered
Alongside the high casualty count among rank-and-file fighters, the military reported the deaths of multiple top-tier ISIS commanders. Chief among them was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as a critical global operative within the terrorist organization.
According to Uba, al-Minuki was heavily involved in managing the group’s external operations, which included supervising terrorist finance pipelines, regional recruitment, logistics, and organizing attacks aimed at Nigerian citizens as well as international civilian targets.
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“His death severely disrupts ISIS command, operational coordination and external attack networks,” the DHQ stated.
The operation also successfully targeted and killed other high-ranking terrorist figures.
Among those confirmed dead are Abd-al Wahhab, a senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) leader heavily involved in propaganda distribution and attack coordination; Abu Musa al-Mangawi, another prominent ISWAP figure; and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, a key member of ISWAP’s media wing who maintained close ties with al-Minuki.
Uba emphasized that this successful joint maneuver highlights the unwavering determination of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to pursue and systematically eradicate terrorist factions operating within the borders.
“The joint operations will continue to hunt down and destroy those who threaten our nation and regional stability,” he said.
