The Nigerian Army has provided details of how Abubakar Mainok, a top Islamic State commander, was killed in a rare joint military operation with United States forces.
The army said the operation was conducted by troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), a joint task force in the North-east, and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).
According to a statement by Sani Uba, the spokesperson for the task force, Mr Mainok was killed during a “meticulously planned and highly complex precision air-land operation” at Metele, a Borno village bordering Nigeria and Niger in the Lake Chad area.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced the killing of Mr Mainok, describing him as the “second-in-command” of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
President Bola Tinubu confirmed the operation about two hours after Mr Trump’s announcement, saying the terror leader was killed in his compound in Lake Chad alongside his lieutenants.
