‘Troops Wanted To Capture ISIS/ISWAP Leader Alive’

The Presidency yesterday disclosed that security agencies initially attempted to capture the insurgent leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok or Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), alive rather than eliminate him.

It noted that he was reportedly under surveillance in multiple locations, including Abuja and Maiduguri, days before the final operation.

Dismissing doubts over the killing

in a statement, the presidency said criticisms trailing the reported elimination of the insurgent leader were premature and not grounded in the realities of modern counterterrorism operations.

The statement, signed by the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said sceptics had rushed to question the authenticity of the Nigerian-American joint military operation that reportedly neutralised the ISWAP commander.

“The needless controversy trailing the reported elimination of Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki… has once again exposed the gulf between the public sceptics and the realities of modern counterterrorism operations,” the statement said.

According to the presidency, intelligence and military authorities have expressed a high level of confidence in the latest operation, insisting that the strike was backed by prolonged Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) efforts, communications monitoring and phone intercepts dating back to December 2025.

It acknowledged that Al-Manuki’s name had previously appeared among lists of suspected ISWAP and Boko Haram commanders reportedly killed in 2024 during operations around the Birnin Gwari forest axis in Kaduna State.

However, it explained that the earlier report was a case of mistaken identity or misattribution during sustained counterinsurgency operations.

“Importantly, intelligence now confirms that the Birnin Gwari theatre was never within Al-Manuki’s established operational sphere, which negates the accuracy of the earlier assessment,” the statement added.

“The coordinated effort suggests that the target had been under sustained pressure, with intelligence units attempting to narrow his movements while avoiding premature exposure of the operation,” the statement said.