The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has clarified that no foreign ground troops were involved in the tactical combat operation that led to the elimination of the global ISIS second-in-command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, in the Lake Chad Basin.

While acknowledging the critical intelligence-sharing and surveillance partnership with United States forces, the military high command emphasized that the physical assault and ground battle were executed entirely by the Armed Forces of Nigeria under Operation Hadin Kai.

The clarification follows international statements, including an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump, which led to public speculation regarding the direct involvement of foreign boots on the ground in Nigeria’s northeastern theatre.

The DHQ stressed that while the operation was a flawless example of bilateral counter-terrorism collaboration—utilizing advanced American technical surveillance and intelligence assets—the kinetic assault on the fortified compound in the Metele area of Borno State was carried out by Nigerian soldiers.

In a separate press briefing, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, also cleared up widespread public confusion regarding the identity of the slain terrorist. Addressing reports that an insurgent commander with a similar name had been killed in 2024, the military explained that Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) factions deliberately reuse aliases and noms de guerre as an indoctrination strategy to obscure identities and confuse security forces.

The DHQ confirmed that human intelligence and technical verification have positively identified the newly neutralized al-Minuki as the actual global head of the ISIS General Directorate of States. Before his elimination alongside several top lieutenants, the Nigerian-born terrorist had risen to the number-two position in the global ISIS hierarchy, coordinating international funding, propaganda, and weapons development across the Sahel.