The United States has praised Nigeria’s growing role in counterterrorism operations, describing the security partnership between the two countries as a key factor in recent successes against Islamic State militants in West Africa.
The commendation followed a series of coordinated operations by the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigerian security forces targeting ISIS fighters and senior commanders in the North-East.
AFRICOM commander General Dagvin Anderson said Nigeria’s military and intelligence agencies played a critical role in the operations, which included the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified by US officials as a senior ISIS leader and the group’s global second-in-command.
According to AFRICOM, the joint campaign involved multiple strikes conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, targeting ISIS positions in the Lake Chad region and other parts of north-eastern Nigeria. The command said the operations were aimed at degrading the group’s capacity to plan and carry out attacks.
Anderson described the partnership as an example of effective international security cooperation, noting that specialised US capabilities combined with local knowledge and operational support from Nigerian forces had produced significant results against the extremist group.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier confirmed that Nigerian and US forces worked together during the operation against al-Minuki, describing it as a major setback for ISIS and its affiliates operating in the region.
The latest operations reflect expanding security cooperation between Abuja and Washington. The two countries have increased intelligence sharing, military training and operational coordination as they seek to contain terrorist threats linked to ISIS and other extremist groups across the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel.
US officials said the campaign underscores their commitment to supporting regional partners in confronting terrorism, while Nigerian authorities maintain that international cooperation remains essential to sustaining gains against insurgent groups
