President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confirmed the successful neutralization of a highly wanted senior Islamic State (IS) commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, popularly known as Abu-Mainok, during a high-stakes, overnight security operation in the Lake Chad Basin. In a personally signed statement released on Saturday, May 16, 2026, the President described the daring offensive as a major breakthrough in the ongoing war against terrorism, insurgency, and violent extremism across the West African sub-region. The precision airstrike on Abu-Mainok’s compound also resulted in the elimination of several of his top lieutenants and senior tactical coordinators.
The highly coordinated raid was executed through a joint military collaboration between the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the United States. President Tinubu highly commended the troops from both nations for their profound bravery, precision, and commitment to restoring peace. He specifically extended his deep gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for his administration’s steadfast leadership and unwavering intelligence support throughout the planning and execution phases of the operation. Looking ahead, the President expressed strong optimism that this heavy blow to the Islamic State infrastructure would pave the way for more decisive, final offensives against remaining terrorist enclaves across Nigeria.
