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Nigeria's Defence Headquarters announced on May 20, 2026, that joint operations with the U.S. Africa Command have eliminated 175 IS fighters in a series of airstrikes in the northeast. The operations destroyed ISIL and ISWAP facilities and financial networks. The strikes follow the earlier killing of senior ISIL commander Abu Bilal al-Minuki, and another senior fighter, Abd-al Wahhab.
Gunmen kidnapped 39 students and 7 teachers in an attack on multiple schools in Oyo State, southwestern Nigeria last week. The assailants targeted a secondary school and two primary schools, with victims mostly children aged 2 to 16. A joint rescue operation faced setbacks due to improvised explosive devices, while authorities have arrested six suspects and vowed to rescue all victims.
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed new airstrikes against ISIL fighters in northeastern Nigeria. The operations come just days after the US and Nigeria announced the killing of the group's deputy leader. No US or Nigerian soldiers were injured in the latest strikes.
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, considered by the US to be the deputy leader of ISIL in West Africa, was killed in a joint Nigerian-American air and ground operation in Borno state. Presidents Tinubu and Trump confirmed the operation on May 16, which the Nigerian military described as a highly complex assault near Lake Chad. Experts say the elimination may have limited long-term impact due to ISWAP's resilience and the underlying ransom economy.
Gunmen stormed a school in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, on Friday, abducting dozens of students. Suspected insurgents arrived on motorcycles and took pupils away, though some escaped into the bush. No group has claimed responsibility, but the attack bears hallmarks of Boko Haram.
President Donald Trump announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global No. 2 of the Islamic State group, was killed in a joint operation by U.S. and Nigerian forces. Trump praised the mission and thanked Nigeria, but provided no further details. Al-Minuki had been on the U.S. sanctions list since 2023 for ties to ISIL.
President Trump confirmed that U.S. and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global deputy leader of ISIS, in a complex operation. Trump praised the cooperation and said al-Minuki's removal deals a major blow to the group's global activity.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk has demanded independent investigations into separate airstrikes by Nigerian and Chadian forces that reportedly killed over 100 civilians in northern Nigeria. He expressed shock and sadness, urging both countries to ensure the safety of civilians and adhere to international law.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said part of the solution to the Hormuz Strait crisis is to import more fuel from the U.S. and West Africa, with Nigeria's Dangote refinery emerging as a critical link despite ongoing labor disputes. The refinery, accused of firing over 800 workers for union membership, supplied about 130,000 tons of jet fuel to the UK in March.
