By Gabriel Ameh
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has clarified concerns surrounding the identity of a terrorist commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, recently killed during a joint counter-terrorism operation involving Nigerian troops and the United States Africa Command.
The clarification followed public reactions and media reports linking the latest operation to a similar military strike carried out in 2024, where another terrorist commander bearing the same name was reportedly eliminated.
In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Somalia Uba, the military explained that the use of similar names, aliases and nom de guerres is common among members of ISWAP and Boko Haram across the North-East and Lake Chad Basin region.
According to the DHQ, the naming pattern is part of the terrorist groups’ indoctrination and concealment strategy aimed at disguising identities and confusing intelligence tracking.
“The Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki eliminated on May 16, 2026, has been 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,” the statement said.
The military stressed that there is no uncertainty regarding the identity of the slain commander, describing the operation as a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.
The DHQ further reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, working alongside international partners including the United States, to dismantle terrorist networks operating within the region.
It also urged the media and the public to rely only on verified and authorised information from official channels to avoid confusion arising from similarities in terrorist aliases.
