All articles tagged with #nigeria
U.S. Africa Command, in coordination with the Government of Nigeria, conducted additional kinetic strikes against ISIS militants in Northeastern Nigeria on May 17, 2026. Intelligence confirmed targets, no U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed, and assessments are ongoing to evaluate the impact on ISIS capabilities.
Militant attacks on Nigerian schools have left more than 80 children missing, officials say, with abductions traced to late April; some abductees have been released, but dozens remain unaccounted for as violence disrupts education.
A U.S.-Nigerian operation killed Abu Bakr al-Mainuki, a senior ISIS West Africa Province leader aligned with IS leadership, during a night strike in the Lake Chad Basin. President Trump announced the kill, Nigerian officials described it as a highly complex precision mission with no casualties, and analysts say the move could disrupt ISWAP’s leadership while highlighting the new security partnership between the two countries amid Nigeria’s ongoing insurgency.
The United States and Nigeria said they killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by Trump as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, during a midnight strike on his fortified base in the Lake Chad Basin (Metele, Borno state), taking out Minuki and several lieutenants. Minuki led IS operations across Sahel/West Africa and was linked to major attacks, with ISWAP and Boko Haram activity in the region. The operation followed months of intelligence gathering and marks a boost in US-Nigerian security cooperation, though earlier claims of his death had been retracted. Nigerian President Tinubu hailed the strike as a heavy blow to IS networks and emphasized pragmatic international partnerships to improve security across the region.
Gunmen abducted more than 50 children, many aged two to five, from three schools in Mussa, Borno state, taking them on motorcycles and reportedly using some as human shields; no group has claimed responsibility, but the attack echoes Boko Haram/ISWAP activity as security forces pursue the suspects and locals flee the area.
After a suspected attack on a Nigerian school, several students are missing and authorities are conducting searches as the situation unfolds.
President Trump says a senior Islamic State leader was killed in a joint U.S.-Nigerian operation, marking a significant development in the fight against ISIS.
President Trump says U.S. and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, ISIS’s second-in-command globally, in a meticulously planned operation in Nigeria. Al-Minuki, a Nigerian national who led ISIS activity in Africa’s Sahel and was sanctioned in 2023, represented a high-profile target as ISIS remains active in parts of Africa despite territorial losses. Trump had previously ordered strikes on ISIS targets in Nigeria last Christmas, amid ongoing Islamist violence in the country which Nigeria’s government says it does not persecute on religious grounds.
Videos from the Alue-Do fertility festival in Ozoro, Delta State, Nigeria, show large groups of men assaulting women in broad daylight, drawing global condemnation as authorities arrest more than a dozen suspects including a community leader; police describe the acts as sexual assault and public humiliation, while some community leaders say the festival was misinterpreted, underscoring broader concerns about women's safety in public spaces.
Islamic State militants killed at least 29 people in an attack on a village in northeastern Nigeria, underscoring the ongoing insecurity in the region.
Gunmen abducted 23 pupils from an orphanage in Nigeria; 15 were rescued, with authorities continuing efforts to locate the remaining children.
Gunmen raided an unregistered orphanage in Kogi State, Nigeria, abducting 23 children; 15 were rescued after a rapid security response, while 8 remain missing and the orphanage owner was also abducted. No group has claimed responsibility, but authorities cite possible Boko Haram links and note a broader kidnapping crisis in the country. The government reiterates its commitment to rescuing victims and advises strong oversight of such facilities, as the facility reportedly operated illegally amid a volatile security climate.
The Philadelphia Eagles drafted defensive tackle Uar Bernard with the 251st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Bernard, who hails from Nigeria and had not played organized football, is a 6-foot-4, 306-pound athlete who posted a 4.63-second 40-yard dash and a 39-inch vertical at showcases, and joins the Eagles via the NFL’s International Player Pathway program as a project for development under the team's coaching staff.
Philadelphia selected Uar Bernard, a Nigerian defensive tackle who has never played football, with the No. 251 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, betting on his exceptional athleticism and the NFL’s International Player Pathway to develop him into a contributor, following a path similar to Jordan Mailata.
Six people, including civilians and retired servicemen, face trial in Abuja on treason, terrorism and money‑laundering charges over last year’s Independence Day coup plot aimed at ousting President Bola Tinubu. Court documents point to Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji as the alleged mastermind and Timipre Sylva as a key, “still at large” financier. The plan reportedly included storming the Aso Rock presidential villa, detaining Tinubu and top officials, and possible assassinations, with funds and insider access brokered through military and civilian accomplices. The case signals Nigeria’s first detailed glimpse into a serious coup attempt since 1999, with prosecutors indicating more suspects and trials may follow.}