Retired Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman has described the killing of Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, the global second-in-command of the Islamic State (ISIS) and a key commander of ISWAP, along with numerous other terrorists in a joint US-Nigeria operation, as an extraordinary milestone in the protracted counter-terrorism campaign against terrorism in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.
The former Director of Army Public Relations, reacting to the achievement, called for the sustained and consolidated offensive against the remnants of the terrorist groups. He emphasized that this unprecedented success may be remembered as one of the most consequential counter-terrorism accomplishments in the nation's history.
Usman commended the precision air-land operation conducted at Metele in Borno State under the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, in close collaboration with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), which neutralized Al-Minuki. He stated that this operation deserves national recognition beyond mere newspaper headlines.
Strategic significance of the operation
“What makes this operation particularly significant is not merely the elimination of a high-profile terrorist leader, but the symbolism and strategic consequences attached to it. If indeed Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki occupied the exalted but ignoble operational position attributed to him within the ISIS global network, then his elimination sends a clear message to terrorist organisations everywhere: there will be no sanctuary for those who orchestrate violence against innocent populations and sovereign nations,” Usman said.
He pointed out that terrorism is not solely Nigeria's problem but a global menace that threatens international peace, economic stability, and human security. He warned that the killing of Al-Minuki “must not lead to complacency.”
Call for sustained efforts
“History teaches us that terrorist groups are adaptive, opportunistic and often quick to regenerate leadership structures after suffering battlefield setbacks. Therefore, the elimination of a major commander and a handful of his loyalists, however significant, must be viewed as a strategic opportunity to intensify and consolidate gains rather than a signal of mission accomplished,” Usman stated.
“As a retired senior military officer who proudly and gallantly took part in the counterinsurgency efforts and has closely observed Nigeria’s security trajectory and understands the sacrifices of our troops, I remain cautiously optimistic. The destruction of Boko Haram and ISWAP is possible. It is difficult, certainly, but it is achievable and doable. Other nations have confronted seemingly intractable terrorist threats and prevailed through persistence, coordination, technological superiority, political will and public support.”
Appeal for national unity
He called for a whole-of-society support to the national counter-terrorism objectives through constructive engagement, public sensitisation, and responsible communication. Usman urged Nigerians to eschew divisive, unsubstantiated, and demoralising statements, as terrorists thrive on propaganda, misinformation, and fear.
