Nigeria says its military, working alongside the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), has killed three senior commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in a series of coordinated air and ground operations in the country’s northeast. The Nigerian Defense Headquarters identified the militants as Abd-al Wahhab, Abu Musa al-Mangawi and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, describing them as key figures within the ISIS-linked extremist group. Military spokesperson Major-General Samaila Uba said Abd-al Wahhab coordinated attacks and propaganda activities for ISWAP, while Abu Musa al-Mangawi served as a senior operational leader. Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir was reportedly in charge of media production and propaganda operations for the group.
Authorities added that al-Muhajir was a close associate of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, another ISIS commander killed during a separate joint strike carried out on May 16. The operations targeted militant hideouts and logistics networks across northeastern Nigeria, an area that has faced years of insurgent violence linked to Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters. According to the military, the strikes destroyed weapons depots, checkpoints, transport systems, military equipment and financial supply routes used by the militants. “As of 19 May 2026, assessments indicate that 175 ISIS terrorists have been eliminated from the battlefield,” Uba said in a statement. The Defence Headquarters described the campaign as part of an intensified effort to dismantle terrorist groups threatening Nigeria and the wider West African region.
Security analysts say Africa has increasingly become a major operational base for ISIS following the group’s decline in the Middle East. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project indicates that Africa accounted for 86 percent of ISIS-related global activity during the first quarter of 2026. The latest strikes also reflect growing military cooperation between Nigeria and the United States after Washington confirmed earlier this year that American troops had been deployed to Nigeria in advisory and training roles. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu praised the joint operations and thanked US President Donald Trump for continued support in the fight against terrorism. Tinubu said the operation demonstrated the commitment of both countries to dismantling extremist networks operating across West Africa.
