Coalition Hails Elimination Of ISIS Commander

The National Coalition for Peace and Democracy has described the recent neutralisation of Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, a senior commander linked to the Islamic State global network, as strong evidence that Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy is producing measurable results.

Speaking at a world press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, president of the coalition, Dr Moses Okella, said the successful operation reflected the growing operational sophistication, intelligence coordination and combat effectiveness of the Nigerian Armed Forces under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede.

Okella faulted attempts in some international media reports to downplay Nigeria’s role in the operation, describing such narratives as misleading and unfair to the sacrifices made by Nigerian troops operating across the Lake Chad Basin.

According to him, the operation was driven largely by Nigerian intelligence systems, local operational planning and the courage of frontline troops confronting insurgents in difficult terrains.

“This operation represents far more than the elimination of a terrorist figure. It is a powerful demonstration of the growing capacity, professionalism, intelligence depth and operational coordination of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“While international cooperation remains important and appreciated, the truth must be stated clearly that Nigerian soldiers, Nigerian intelligence assets, Nigerian air and ground forces, and Nigerian operational leadership were central to this mission,” he said.

The coalition stated that the successful operation showed that Nigeria’s security institutions were becoming more integrated and strategic in confronting terrorism and transnational criminal networks.

Okella noted that under General Oluyede, security agencies had improved collaboration in intelligence gathering, troop deployment, aerial surveillance and rapid response operations, leading to increased effectiveness in various conflict theatres.

“For years, one of the major challenges confronting counter-terrorism operations in Nigeria was fragmentation and weak coordination among security institutions. What we are witnessing today is the emergence of a more coherent security architecture where intelligence gathering, logistics, surveillance and operational response are becoming increasingly aligned. The operation against Al-Minuki is evidence of this evolution,” he said.

The coalition also commended the service chiefs, intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Defence for strengthening institutional coordination and operational efficiency.