Source: Africa Publicity
President Donald Trump has fulfilled a promise he made to Christians in Nigeria after U.S. and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a top ISIS leader accused of orchestrating deadly attacks against Christian communities, according to a statement released by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
“Back in November 2025, President Trump declared to the world that we will help protect Christians in Nigeria and instructed the Department of War to prepare for action. So, for months, we hunted this top ISIS leader in Nigeria who was killing Christians, and we killed him—and his entire posse,” Hegseth said in a Facebook post announcing the operation.
The operation, carried out overnight in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, resulted in the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified by U.S. officials as the senior ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Emir and the second-highest-ranking ISIS figure globally.
According to the statement, U.S. Africa Command directed the mission in partnership with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s government, describing it as a “precise operation to remove this terrorist.”
Hegseth said al-Minuki played a central role in overseeing ISIS attacks, hostage-taking operations and financial networks across multiple regions. U.S. officials believe his death significantly weakens the terror group’s ability to coordinate attacks against civilians and international targets.
“The removal of him and other ISIS personnel makes Americans safer by further degrading ISIS’s ability to plan and carry out attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, American citizens, and innocent civilians,” the statement said.
The announcement also framed the mission as part of the Trump administration’s broader pledge to defend persecuted Christians abroad, particularly in northern Nigeria, where extremist violence has displaced thousands and fueled international concern for years.
“Operations like last night’s demonstrate the exceptional lethality, patience and skill of U.S. forces, amplified alongside willing and capable partners, to address shared threats,” Hegseth added.
“This should serve as a reminder that we will hunt down those who wish to harm Americans or innocent Christians, wherever they are.”
