UNITED States Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, has disclosed that Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of ISIS, was “most responsible for alleged killing of Christians” in Nigeria.
News Point Nigeria reports that Hegseth made the disclosure during a cabinet meeting held at the White House on Wednesday, where he spoke on ongoing United States military operations against ISIS elements operating in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin region.
According to reports, Al-Minuki was killed on May 15 during a joint military operation carried out by the United States and Nigerian forces targeting his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
The US defence chief said the operation formed part of broader efforts initiated by the administration of President Donald Trump to protect persecuted Christians in Nigeria.
Hegseth explained that the US military intervention followed concerns raised over alleged attacks and killings of Christians by ISIS-linked groups operating within the country.
US troops reportedly began targeting Islamist terrorists late last year following allegations of what was described as a Christian genocide in Nigeria.
“Maybe a year ago, [the president] heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS. … And he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said, according to a Pentagon report.
The US defence secretary further stated that the operation leading to the killing of Al-Minuki had received little international media attention despite its significance.
“And, over the past month — and there hasn’t been much coverage of this — we killed ISIS’ No. 2 [commander], who was most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he added.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier confirmed the death of Al-Minuki, revealing that several lieutenants linked to the ISIS commander were also killed during the operation.
Tinubu described the development as a major breakthrough in ongoing counterterrorism operations within the Lake Chad region.
Speaking further during the cabinet meeting, Hegseth disclosed that intelligence gathered since the commencement of US operations against ISIS in Nigeria had also led to the elimination of hundreds of additional ISIS fighters allegedly involved in attacks against Christians in the country.
According to him, the US government remains committed to sustaining efforts aimed at dismantling terrorist networks threatening civilians and destabilising communities across the region.
Hegseth also reiterated that President Trump remains unwavering in his initiative to protect Nigerian Christians from extremist violence.
The comments have continued to generate reactions internationally, particularly amid growing concerns over insecurity, insurgency and religiously motivated attacks across parts of northern Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad Basin region.