Sheikh Gumi Reacts to Killing of ISIS Commander Al-Minuki

Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has reacted to the reported killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as a senior commander of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), during a joint counterterrorism operation involving American forces and the Nigerian military.

Gumi, in a Facebook post on Saturday, stated that combating terrorism remains a religious obligation but criticised collaboration with individuals he claimed had “hands stained with the blood of innocent men, women, and children.”

“It’s a religious obligation to annihilate terrorists, but not with Beelzebub and hands stained with the blood of innocent men, women, and children,” the cleric wrote.

Although Gumi did not directly mention specific countries or military actors in his statement, his comments appeared to reference the joint operation announced by former United States President Donald Trump.

Trump had disclosed via his Truth Social platform that American forces, working alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces, successfully carried out an operation that eliminated al-Minuki after months of intelligence gathering and coordinated surveillance.

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According to Trump, the ISIS commander was among the most active extremist figures operating in Africa and was allegedly involved in coordinating attacks against Americans and African communities.

The former US president claimed the operation would significantly weaken ISIS activities globally and reduce the terror group’s influence across parts of Africa.

He also commended the Nigerian government and military authorities for their cooperation and intelligence-sharing during the mission.

The development comes amid renewed global attention on extremist activities linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other terror networks operating across the Sahel and Lake Chad regions.

Nigeria’s Presidency had earlier confirmed al-Minuki’s death, describing it as a major breakthrough in ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

However, the Presidency later admitted that security agencies had mistakenly declared the terrorist commander dead in 2024 during earlier military operations in Kaduna State.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga explained that the earlier report resulted from mistaken identity during complex counterinsurgency operations.

According to the Presidency, the latest operation involved extensive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities, including digital tracking, communications interception and human intelligence gathering conducted over several months.

Security sources disclosed that authorities initially intended to capture al-Minuki alive before the operation eventually turned into a lethal mission.

Counterterrorism analysts have described the killing as a potentially significant blow to ISIS-linked operations in West Africa, though experts warned that extremist groups often reorganise quickly after losing top commanders.

Gumi’s reaction has generated mixed responses online, with some Nigerians agreeing with his concerns over foreign military involvement, while others argued that international cooperation remains necessary in the fight against terrorism.

The Islamic cleric has previously advocated dialogue, reconciliation and non-kinetic approaches to addressing insecurity in northern Nigeria, positions that have frequently generated public debate and criticism.

Meanwhile, Nigerian security agencies continue intensified operations against insurgent groups across Borno, Yobe and parts of the North-West amid ongoing efforts to contain terrorism, banditry and kidnappings.

Sheikh Gumi Reacts to Killing of ISIS Commander Al-Minuki

Terrorists Kill 17 Police Officers During Attack on Army School in Yobe

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has officially confirmed the killing of 17 police officers during a deadly terrorist attack on the Nigerian Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

The attack, which occurred in the early hours of May 8, 2026, targeted security personnel undergoing specialised counterterrorism and tactical training at the military institution.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Placid, the police described the incident as a tragic loss to the nation and the security community.

According to the statement, heavily armed terrorists launched a coordinated assault on the facility from multiple directions at about 1:15 a.m., leading to intense gunfire and heavy casualties.

“The Nigeria Police Force regrettably announces the tragic loss of seventeen (17) police officers who paid the supreme price in service to the nation following a terrorist attack on the Nigerian Army Special Forces School, Buni Yadi,” the statement read.

The police disclosed that the slain officers were participating in advanced operational and counterterrorism training programmes at the institution when the terrorists attacked.

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Several Nigerian Army personnel were also reportedly killed during the operation while attempting to repel the attackers and protect the facility.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, described the fallen officers as courageous and dedicated personnel who demonstrated patriotism and commitment to national security through their participation in specialised tactical training.

The IGP extended condolences to the families of the deceased officers, assuring them that the sacrifices of the slain personnel would never be forgotten.

In a further show of solidarity, the Commissioner of Police in Yobe State, CP Usman Kanfani Jibrin, visited the military institution on behalf of the IGP to commiserate with the Commandant of the School, Brigadier General A.C. Enuagu, military personnel and surviving police officers undergoing training.

According to the statement, the police commissioner praised the resilience of the surviving officers and encouraged them to remain committed to completing the training programme in honour of their fallen colleagues.

Security sources said the terrorists invaded the facility under the cover of darkness, using sophisticated weapons and coordinated assault tactics commonly associated with Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Although authorities did not officially identify the group responsible for the attack, security analysts believe the operation bears the hallmarks of ISWAP insurgents who remain active in parts of Yobe and Borno states.

Buni Yadi and surrounding communities have repeatedly witnessed attacks by insurgent groups due to their strategic location within Nigeria’s conflict-prone North-East region.

The attack is considered one of the deadliest assaults on a security training facility in recent months and has renewed concerns over the growing sophistication of terrorist operations in the region.

The Nigeria Police Force assured Nigerians that it would continue working closely with the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies to track down and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“The Nigeria Police Force salutes the courage, sacrifice, and service of the fallen officers whose dedication to duty will forever remain honoured by the nation,” the statement added.

The tragic incident has triggered widespread reactions across Nigeria, with many citizens mourning the officers and calling for stronger protection, improved intelligence gathering and better welfare for security personnel fighting terrorism.

Security experts have also renewed calls for enhanced surveillance technology, improved military-police coordination and increased investment in counterinsurgency operations to curb persistent attacks in the North-East.

Terrorists Kill 17 Police Officers During Attack on Army School in Yobe

Presidency Admits Error in Earlier Reported Death of ISIS Commander 

Nigeria’s Presidency has admitted that security agencies mistakenly identified notorious ISIS-linked commander, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, as dead in 2024, following fresh confirmation of his killing during a recent joint counterterrorism operation involving Nigerian and American forces.

The clarification came amid growing public scrutiny over conflicting official reports surrounding the terror leader, who had earlier been described by former United States President Donald Trump as one of the “most active terrorists in the world.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had recently confirmed Al-Manuki’s death, describing it as a major breakthrough in ongoing counterterrorism efforts and a sign of improving security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.

However, attention quickly shifted to an earlier announcement by the Defence Headquarters in 2024, which had already listed Al-Manuki among terrorists allegedly eliminated during military operations in northern Nigeria.

At a briefing held in Abuja in 2024, the then Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, stated that the insurgent commander — also known as Abubakar Mainok — was killed during military operations conducted between January and March of that year.

Buba had identified Al-Manuki as a key figure linked to ISWAP and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) activities around the Birnin Gwari forest in Kaduna State and along the Abuja-Kaduna highway corridor.

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According to the military’s earlier report, the terror commander was reportedly killed on February 21, 2024, alongside several fighters during operations targeting insurgent hideouts.

The resurfacing of the 2024 announcement after the latest confirmation of Al-Manuki’s death triggered widespread reactions online and renewed concerns over the accuracy of official military casualty reports involving terrorist commanders.

Reacting to the controversy, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga acknowledged that the earlier report was based on mistaken identity and explained that such errors could occur during complex counterinsurgency operations.

“It is acknowledged within military and intelligence circles that Al-Manuki’s name had appeared among lists of suspected ISWAP/Boko Haram commanders reportedly killed in 2024 during operations around the Birnin Gwari forest axis in Kaduna State,” Onanuga stated.

“However, security officials now clarify that the earlier listing was a case of mistaken identity or misattribution in the fog of sustained counterinsurgency operations.”

The Presidency further explained that updated intelligence assessments later showed that Birnin Gwari was not within Al-Manuki’s known operational territory, casting doubt on the credibility of the earlier military assessment.

“Importantly, intelligence now confirms that the Birnin Gwari theatre was never within Al-Manuki’s established operational sphere, which negates the accuracy of the earlier assessment,” the statement added.

According to Onanuga, the latest operation that led to the confirmed killing of Al-Manuki followed months of intelligence gathering, surveillance operations and collaboration involving Nigerian and foreign security agencies.

He disclosed that the operation involved extensive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities, including communications interception, digital tracking and human intelligence gathering beginning from December 2025.

“The intelligence trail did not emerge overnight,” Onanuga said.

“Rather, it was built over months of persistent tracking, digital surveillance, and human intelligence inputs to map Al-Manuki’s movements across key locations in northern Nigeria.”

The Presidency also revealed that security agencies initially hoped to capture the terror commander alive before circumstances eventually led to a final military operation.

“This explains why he was reportedly under surveillance in multiple locations, including Abuja and Maiduguri, up to just days before the final operation,” the statement noted.

According to the Presidency, unlike previous battlefield reports that later turned out to be inaccurate, the latest operation underwent several stages of verification before the final strike was approved.

“Officials maintain that multiple layers of verification were applied before authorisation of the final kinetic action, making this operation distinct from earlier incidents in which battlefield assessments later required revision,” the statement added.

“In their assessment, this time, there is no ambiguity.”

Onanuga also pointed to previous international counterterrorism experiences, noting that false reports had circulated years earlier regarding the death of former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi before his eventual confirmed killing.

He warned against dismissing military achievements without fully understanding the complexities involved in security operations, stressing that public scepticism could negatively affect troop morale and confidence in ongoing efforts against terrorism.

Security analysts say the incident highlights the challenges intelligence agencies face in tracking insurgent leaders operating across remote regions and porous borders in West Africa.

The latest development has also renewed debate about the need for improved intelligence coordination, verification procedures and public communication in Nigeria’s ongoing war against terrorism.

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