DHQ details global terror network of slain ISIS deputy Abu-Bilal al-Minuki

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has released a detailed profile of ISIS global second-in-command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his death in a joint counter-terrorism operation involving Nigerian and American forces.

In a statement issued on Saturday, May 16, 2026, and signed by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the military high command described al-Minuki as a central figure in ISIS’s transnational leadership structure, with responsibilities spanning operations, finance, propaganda, and weapons development.

According to the DHQ, al-Minuki identified as Abubakar Mainok, originally from Borno State, rose through the ranks of militant networks operating in the Lake Chad Basin following the 2015 fragmentation of Boko Haram.

Intelligence assessments indicate that he broke away from Abubakar Shekau’s faction to align with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), where he later became a key operational commander. By 2018, following internal restructuring within the group, he had become a senior figure within ISIS-linked global coordination structures.

The DHQ stated that his influence expanded significantly over the years, culminating in his appointment in February 2026 as Head of the ISIS General Directorate of States, effectively making him the organisation’s second-in-command.

The military described al-Minuki’s role as extending beyond battlefield operations, noting that he oversaw multiple strategic units responsible for sustaining ISIS’s global network.

These included financial operations, weapons and improvised explosive device (IED) production support, drone development guidance, and media and propaganda coordination for affiliated cells.

ALSO READ: US, Nigerian forces kill senior ISIS leader in joint operation, Trump announces

Major General Uba said al-Minuki “provided structural and operational direction to ISIS affiliates outside Nigeria,” particularly in areas involving communications strategy, economic disruption tactics, and the adaptation of emerging technologies for asymmetric warfare.

Military intelligence further linked his leadership to the increased use of drones, encrypted financial channels, and coordinated propaganda messaging across multiple regions.

The DHQ outlined a hierarchical structure placing al-Minuki directly beneath ISIS core leadership, with oversight responsibilities across several functional divisions, including economic warfare, weapons systems development, and external media operations.

Security analysts say this structure allowed for tighter coordination between dispersed ISIS affiliates across West Africa, the Sahel, and parts of the Middle East, enabling more sophisticated and decentralised operations.

The Defence Headquarters confirmed that the operation leading to his death was carried out in collaboration with U.S. forces under a strengthened intelligence-sharing arrangement. It described the mission as precise, with no reported civilian casualties.

According to the DHQ, the elimination of al-Minuki represents a significant disruption to ISIS’s global coordination architecture, particularly its administrative and logistical networks.

“The removal of this key node has significantly weakened the group’s ability to coordinate activities across multiple regions,” the statement said.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also issued a statement commending the operation, praising the professionalism of the Nigerian Armed Forces and reaffirming the government’s commitment to denying terrorist groups operational space within Nigeria and the wider region.

The latest development is being viewed by security analysts as a major milestone in ongoing multinational counter-terrorism efforts across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.