At least 17 police officers have been killed in a terrorist attack on a military school in northeastern Yobe State, Nigeria. The assault was carried out by suspected Islamist militants on Friday, according to the national police spokesman, Anthony Okon Placid.
The attack targeted the Nigerian Army Special Forces School at Buni Yadi. The officers were undergoing specialized operational training at the institution when the militants launched a coordinated assault from multiple directions. Several soldiers were also killed, although the exact number of military casualties has not been disclosed.
In a separate development, the global second-in-command of ISIS was killed during a joint operation by U.S. and Nigerian forces early Saturday. U.S. President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu confirmed the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
President Tinubu issued a statement from the State House describing the operation as a major success in the ongoing war against terrorism. He praised the collaboration between the armed forces of both countries. The overnight mission resulted in the elimination of Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants.
Tinubu stated that the operation dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State. Early intelligence assessments confirmed the death of the wanted terrorist leader during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin. The Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the U.S. Armed Forces, conducted the daring joint operation.
