Joint military operations by the Nigerian Armed Forces in collaboration with the United States have led to the killing of 175 ISIS fighters in ongoing counterterrorism operations in Nigeria’s North-East, according to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ).
In a statement released in Abuja, the DHQ said the coordinated strikes were carried out over recent days with support from the United States Africa Command (US-AFRICOM), targeting ISIS and ISWAP strongholds across the Lake Chad Basin axis.
The Director of Defence Information, Sumaila Uba, confirmed that as of May 19, 2026, battlefield assessments showed that 175 terrorists had been eliminated in precision operations involving air and ground assaults.
He added that the joint mission also destroyed multiple terrorist infrastructures, including checkpoints, weapons storage facilities, logistics hubs, and financial networks used to sustain insurgent activities in the region.
Among those reportedly killed was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by military sources as a high-value ISIS operative involved in external operations, financing, recruitment, and attack coordination. His death, according to the DHQ, represents a significant disruption to the group’s global operational capacity.
Other figures neutralised include senior ISWAP commanders allegedly responsible for propaganda dissemination, logistics coordination, and media production for terrorist operations.
The military high command said the offensive reflects the continued determination of Nigerian forces and their international partners to degrade and dismantle terrorist networks operating in the country.
“The joint operations will continue to hunt down and destroy those who threaten national and regional stability,” the statement added.
Security analysts note that the intensified collaboration between Nigerian forces and international partners signals a renewed push to contain insurgency threats in the North-East, where extremist groups have remained active for over a decade.