175 ISIS Terrorists, Top Commanders Killed in 7 Days – DHQ Confirms

Nigerian military troop

175 ISIS Terrorists, Top Commanders Killed in 7 Days – DHQ Confirms

The Defence Headquarters has officially confirmed that over 175 Islamic State terrorists have been killed in a series of joint military operations conducted in collaboration with the United States Africa Command over a period of seven days. In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the military high command described the coordinated air and ground strikes as a major breakthrough in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts across northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin region. The joint operations, which began last week following intelligence reports linking ISIS and ISWAP fighters to planned attacks in parts of North-East Nigeria, also resulted in the elimination of three top terrorist commanders. According to Major General Uba, the strikes successfully destroyed multiple ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, military equipment, and financial networks used to sustain terrorist operations in the region.

Major General Uba stated, “It will be recalled that the joint strikes started a few days ago. As of 19 May 2026, assessments indicate that 175 ISIS terrorists have been eliminated from the battlefield. The joint strikes have resulted in the destruction of ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistical hubs, military equipment and financial networks used to sustain terrorist operations.” The Defence Headquarters noted that the success of the operation was made possible through a newly established counter-terrorism and intelligence-sharing partnership between Nigeria and the United States, a collaboration that has significantly enhanced the capacity of Nigerian forces to identify, track, and neutralize high-value terrorist targets.

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According to military sources, the operation that killed al-Minuki was “a meticulously planned and highly complex precision air-land operation” carried out on Saturday, May 16, 2026, from just after midnight through 4:00 am. The raid targeted al-Minuki’s “concealed and fortified enclave” at a remote village in Borno State, the epicentre of a 17-year armed insurgency in northeastern Nigeria. The operation reportedly involved US Special Operations MQ-9 drones, AC-130 gunships, and elements of the US Navy’s SEAL Team 6, working in close coordination with Nigerian ground forces. No soldiers or assets were reported lost during the operation. General Dagvin Anderson, head of the United States Africa Command, told a congressional hearing on May 19 that Nigeria played a crucial role in the coordinated operation. “Nigeria has played a crucial role over the past few months, helping us identify targets, providing intelligence support, and offering the necessary assistance to carry out the operation,” General Anderson said. The Nigerian military sees al-Minuki’s death as removing a “critical node through which ISIS coordinated and directed operations across different regions of the world.”

Previously a senior member of Boko Haram, which has been waging an Islamist insurgency in the region since 2009, al-Minuki was linked to the 2018 Dapchi kidnapping of more than 100 schoolgirls in northeastern Nigeria’s Yobe State. Between March 2015 and early 2016, he also facilitated the movement of fighters to Libya to support ISIS operations in North Africa. Under United States sanctions since 2023, al-Minuki oversaw ISIS-linked operations across the Sahel and West Africa, including attacks against “ethnic and religious minority communities,” according to the Nigerian military. His elimination comes as ISIS activity is increasingly concentrated in Africa, hitting a record high of 86 percent in the first quarter of 2026, up from 49 percent in all of 2024, according to a global conflict monitor ACLED report.

In a separate development, the Defence Headquarters dismissed reports alleging that terrorist groups had established operational bases in Nigeria’s South-West region. The clarification followed growing public concern over recent attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinele; and L.A. Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. Among the 46 kidnapped victims was a Mathematics teacher at Community High School in Ahoro-Esinele identified as Michael Oyedokun, who was beheaded by his captors. A video allegedly released by the abductors on Sunday showed the teacher tied up before he was killed, triggering fresh fears over the safety of other victims still being held.

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Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed the killing through his Special Adviser on Media, Suleimon Olanrewaju, on Monday. The governor also disclosed that security agencies had recorded some breakthroughs, with about six individuals arrested in connection with the abduction. According to Olanrewaju, the suspects are believed to be “informants or people running logistics for the terrorists,” while three additional individuals of interest were arrested by another security outfit within the state. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, described the abduction of pupils and staff in Oyo State as “callous and reprehensible” and stated that ongoing military operations remain focused on securing the safe and unconditional release of all abducted victims.

Major General Onoja stated, “Current intelligence assessments do not support the conclusion that any structured or permanent terrorist base exists within the forests or hinterlands of the South West region.” Speaking on the heightened security architecture within the state, Onoja disclosed that troops deployed to the affected areas had established contact with the suspected kidnappers and were sustaining coordinated pursuit and rescue operations across forest corridors and other identified hideouts. The DHQ urged Nigerians, particularly residents of the South-West, to remain calm and continue supporting security agencies with credible information, stressing that community cooperation remains critical to the success of ongoing rescue missions and broader security operations.

The Defence Headquarters has made clear that these joint operations will continue. Major General Uba stated that “the joint operations will continue to hunt down and destroy those who threaten our nation and regional stability.” The Nigerian Air Force has already intensified its air operations under the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, with sustained precision strikes targeting terrorist enclaves in Sambisa Forest and the Tumbuns region. Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, Chief of the Air Staff, has reaffirmed the Service’s unyielding resolve to dominate the battlespace, stressing that “operations will persist with increased intensity until all terrorist capabilities are dismantled and threats to national security fully neutralised.” Meanwhile, rescue operations continue for the remaining victims of the Oyo State school abduction, with security agencies maintaining coordinated pursuit across forest corridors and other identified hideouts. The DHQ has assured the public that no effort will be spared to secure the unconditional release of all abducted persons. The successful elimination of 175 ISIS fighters and several top commanders represents one of the most significant counter-terrorism victories in the region in recent years. As military officials continue to assess battle damage and exploit captured intelligence, the full strategic implications of these operations are still unfolding.