Tinubu Signals Harder War On Terror As Joint Nigeria-US Operation ‘Eliminates’ Top ISIS Figure

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday signalled a tougher and more coordinated military campaign against terrorism after announcing what he described as a major joint counterterrorism breakthrough involving Nigerian and United States forces in the Lake Chad Basin.

In a statement from Aso Villa, Abuja, Tinubu said Nigerian troops, working closely with US military personnel, carried out an overnight operation that delivered “a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism” and dealt “a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State.”

According to the president, early intelligence assessments indicate that the operation led to the elimination of Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, a senior Islamic State figure long wanted by security agencies, alongside several of his lieutenants during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad region.

“Overnight, Nigeria and the United States recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism,” Tinubu said, adding “Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State.”

The president said the reported killing of Al-Manuki marks an important step in degrading terrorist structures operating within the volatile Lake Chad corridor, an area that has remained a strategic sanctuary for extremist networks exploiting porous borders across Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

“Early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin,” he further disclosed.

Tinubu used the moment to underscore Nigeria’s expanding security cooperation with Washington, framing the development as evidence that stronger international military partnerships are central to his administration’s broader security doctrine.

“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives,” he declared, sharing his appreciation with “I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.”

The statement also suggested that the operation may mark the beginning of a more aggressive phase in Nigeria’s anti-terror strategy, with Tinubu openly declaring his expectation for intensified offensives against extremist cells nationwide.

“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” he added.

The development strengthens Tinubu’s security credentials at a time when his government faces sustained public pressure over insurgency, banditry and transnational terror threats, particularly in the north-east and other conflict-prone zones.