By SAM POPOOLA, Lagos
Contrary to claims by United States President, Donald Trump, and his Nigerian counterpart, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that ISIS leader, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, was recently killed during a joint overnight operation by US and Nigerian forces, senior lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has dismissed the claim, insisting that the notorious terrorist was killed in April 2024.
“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 stated in a post on Truth Social on Friday.
Trump’s claim was subsequently corroborated by President Tinubu in a statement shared by his media aide, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu stated:
“Overnight, Nigeria and the United States recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.
“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.
“Early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives. I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.
“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.”
However, Falana maintained that Al-Minuki had already been killed in April 2024.
The human rights activist said:
“Contrary to Mr. Trump’s misleading claim, the dangerous terrorist, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, was killed in 2024 by the patriotic Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The killing of the wanted terrorist was announced by the Defence Headquarters and published by both the print and electronic media in Nigeria.
“Instead of relying on a foreign regime that cannot stop the reckless massacre of thousands of its citizens, including children, through gun violence and gun-related deaths, the Federal Government should adequately equip and maintain the Armed Forces in line with Section 217(2) of the Nigerian Constitution,” he concluded.
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