Entrepreneur and former mayor Mike Arnold has claimed that the terrorist commander Abu-Bilal al-Minuki recently pronounced dead by the U.S. and Nigeria had already been declared dead by Nigerian authorities in 2024, not in 2026.
Read More Related Breaking Stories from Our Nigeria News
Arnold made the claim on Saturday, after the U.S. President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu jointly announced that American and Nigerian forces had killed Minuki in a planned military operation.
Reports published on 16 May, 2026 revealed that the operation targeted Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of the Islamic State globally, with both the U.S. and Nigeria describing the mission as a major success in ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
But Arnold said the latest announcement appears to contradict an earlier declaration by the Nigerian military.
Read Related News Update
Troops senior ISWAP commander Bako Gorgore in Borno
ISIS leader’s killing marks deeper Nigeria-US security alliance in Lake Chad war
Arnold in his Facebook post pointed to a May 4, 2024 military announcement in which Nigerian authorities reportedly said al-Minuki had already been killed alongside eight other commanders during an operation.
He said, “On May 4, 2024, the Nigerian military officially announced they had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the head of Is-Al Furqan Province (ISGS and ISWAP), along with eight other commanders. The names were published. The Nigerian Army stood behind every word.
He argued that if the same individual was officially declared dead two years ago, the latest announcement raises serious questions about the accuracy of both claims.
Arnold stated, “President Trump and President Tinubu jointly announced that U.S. and Nigerian forces had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki in a “meticulously planned” operation. Same name. Same man. Two years later.”
“How do you kill a dead man?” he asked, questioning whether the 2024 announcement, the 2026 announcement, or both, may have been inaccurate.
He said the issue goes beyond a single military operation and touches on the credibility of official security communications.
Arnold also linked the controversy to recent diplomatic engagements in Washington involving Nuhu Ribadu, noting that the National Security Adviser had held a series of high-level meetings with senior U.S. officials shortly before the latest military announcement.
He questioned why a man reportedly declared dead in 2024 would reappear in a new victory announcement in 2026, insisting that Nigerians and the international community deserve clarification.
The fresh U.S.-Nigeria announcement has received global media attention, with several international outlets reporting that Minuki was killed in a joint operation in the Lake Chad region after intelligence tracking. The reports identified him as one of the most senior figures within the Islamic State’s global structure.
Neither the Nigerian military nor the presidency had publicly responded to Arnold’s claims about the alleged discrepancy between the 2024 and 2026 announcements.
This development has prompted questions over transparency in security reporting and the verification of military successes in Nigeria’s fight against insurgency.
For More News Details, Visit New Daily Prime
