US president, Donald Trump, has confirmed that they launched air strikes, killing several ISIS fighters in Northwest Nigeria, including second in command globally Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.
The US Africa Command said the strikes were carried out “in coordination with Nigerian authorities” in Sokoto State.
A US official told Reuters that the operation killed multiple targets.
Trump, who was at his Mar-a-Lago residence, announced the military intervention on his social media platform, Truth Social, early Saturday saying: “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.
“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. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
“I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughter of Christians, there would be hell to pay — and tonight, there was,” he further said.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to prosper.”
Similar strikes were carried out against terrorists in Sokoto by the US in conjunction with Nigerian forces on December 25, 2025.