DHQ Clarifies Identity of Killed ISWAP Commander Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki

Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has clarified concerns surrounding the identity of the ISWAP commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, killed during a joint operation involving Nigerian forces and the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM.

The clarification followed reports linking the operation carried out on 16 May 2026 with a similar counterterrorism strike in 2024 involving another terrorist commander bearing the same name.

In a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the DHQ explained that the use of similar names, aliases, and nom de guerres is common among Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters operating across the North-East and the Lake Chad Basin.

According to the military, the practice is part of the groups’ indoctrination strategy aimed at concealing identities and creating confusion during counterterrorism operations.

The DHQ stated that the Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki killed in the latest operation was positively identified through human intelligence and technical surveillance as a senior global operative within the Islamic State network, with direct links to international terrorist coordination, funding, and operations across the Sahel region.

The military described the operation as a major success in ongoing counterterrorism efforts and reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with the United States, to dismantling terrorist networks operating within the region.

The Defence Headquarters also urged the public and media organisations to rely on verified official information to avoid confusion arising from similarities in terrorist aliases.

Source: Daily Post Nigeria, May 16, 2026.