…“I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort,” Tinubu added.
CHAD- The iNews Times| President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confirmed the killing of a wanted Islamic State commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, during a joint counterterrorism operation carried out by Nigerian and United States forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
According to Tinubu, the overnight operation, conducted by the Nigerian Armed Forces in collaboration with the United States Armed Forces, dealt “a heavy blow” to the ranks of the Islamic State.
The president stated that preliminary assessments confirmed that Abu-Mainok and several of his lieutenants were killed during a coordinated strike on his compound within the Lake Chad region.
In a statement personally signed by him, Tinubu described the mission as a major demonstration of effective cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against terrorism.
“Overnight, Nigeria and the United States recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism,” Tinubu stated.
“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 added that the success of the operation highlighted the importance of international partnerships in addressing growing security threats across the region.
“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives,” he said.
Tinubu also expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for what he described as his leadership and unwavering support for the operation.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort,” Tinubu added.
The Nigerian leader further commended military personnel from both countries for their professionalism and bravery during the operation.
“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 stated.
Meanwhile, President Trump, in a post shared on his verified social media account, described the mission as a “meticulously planned and very complex operation” jointly executed by American and Nigerian forces.
Trump claimed the operation specifically targeted Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, whom he described as the “second in command of ISIS globally.”
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump wrote.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.”
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished.”
Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership and cooperation during the operation.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation,” he added.
