The Presidency has confirmed the killing of senior ISWAP commander Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki during a joint Nigeria–United States military operation, while clarifying that an earlier 2024 report claiming he had been killed was a case of mistaken identity.
The clarification was issued by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, following public scepticism surrounding the latest announcement of Al-Manuki’s death. Critics had pointed to previous military reports from 2024 that also listed the ISWAP leader among terrorists allegedly eliminated during operations in Kaduna State.
According to the Presidency, security agencies have now established that the earlier report was inaccurate and resulted from “mistaken identity or misattribution” during ongoing counterinsurgency operations. Onanuga explained that intelligence reviews later confirmed that the Birnin Gwari axis in Kaduna where the earlier operation occurred was never part of Al-Manuki’s operational territory.
The Presidency maintained that the latest operation was different and backed by months of intelligence gathering, surveillance, communications monitoring, and phone intercepts carried out jointly by Nigerian and American security forces. Officials reportedly tracked the insurgent commander across several locations, including Abuja and Maiduguri, before the final strike was authorised.
United States President Donald Trump had earlier announced the operation, describing Al-Manuki as “the most active terrorist in the world” and the “second-in-command of ISIS globally.” President Bola Tinubu later confirmed the development, describing the mission as a major success in the fight against terrorism and a strong example of Nigeria–U.S. security cooperation.
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