The Defence Headquarters says no Nigerian soldier was killed during the operation that eliminated the terrorist commander, Abu Bilal Al-Minuki.

Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, Director, confirmed this on Saturday during an interview on a television programme.

Onoja described the mission as a carefully executed precision strike against a high-value terrorist target.

He said the operation reflected the professionalism, discipline and tactical readiness of troops involved.

 “We are happy to state that due to our troops’ professionalism, there was no loss of life on our side,” Onoja said.

He said the mission was planned through detailed intelligence and close operational coordination.

According to him, earlier reports about Al-Minuki’s death in 2024 were based on mistaken identity.

Onoja said the man neutralised was the original Abu Bilal Al-Minuki, who used multiple aliases.

He explained that the aliases helped the terrorist evade detection for years. “This individual has been on international watchlists for a very long time,” he said.

He added that security records linked the commander to several global monitoring agencies.

 “These include the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Nigeria,” he added.

Onoja said months of intelligence gathering led troops to the terrorist’s exact location.

He said the final operation was launched only after commanders confirmed credible intelligence.

On foreign support, he said no foreign soldiers participated in the mission.

According to him, the United States only provided intelligence and surveillance assistance.

 “There were no foreign boots on the ground during this operation. What we received were intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance support and other force enablers,” he said.

He said Nigeria would continue strengthening strategic security partnerships against terrorism.

Onoja also said other notorious terrorist leaders remained under active surveillance. He specifically mentioned wanted bandit leader Bello Turji.

 “He cannot hide forever. It is only a matter of time,” urging citizens to support military operations with timely information.

He warned that ransom payments often strengthen criminal networks and prolong insecurity.

He reaffirmed the military’s determination to restore peace across affected communities in Nigeria.

The Police Command in Rivers has begun disciplinary proceedings on an officer Ekawhe Thomas, over alleged negligence that led to a suspect’s escape from detention.

The spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, told journalists in Port Harcourt that the officer was attached to the Criminal Investigation Department.

Agabe said that following the suspect’s escape, the police leadership ordered immediate disciplinary action against Thomas.

“The officer has been detained and formally issued a query in line with existing disciplinary procedures of the police force,” she said.

She said that efforts were ongoing to re-apprehend the fleeing suspect while investigations into the incident continued.

The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, Olugbenga Adepoju, had expressed displeasure over the development, and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to professionalism, discipline and accountability.

Agabe said Adepoju had warned that the command would not tolerate misconduct, negligence, or abuse of office by any personnel.

“Any officer found culpable after investigation would be sanctioned in accordance with extant laws and disciplinary regulations,” she said.

She assured members of the public that the command was fully committed to transparency, justice and the protection of citizens’ rights.

By David Torough, Abuja

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has called on commanders and senior officers of the Nigerian Army to continuously adapt operational strategies to effectively tackle emerging and evolving security threats across the country.

Speaking on Monday at the opening of a-three-day Chief of Army Staff First Bi-Annual Conference 2026 in Abuja, Shaibu said Nigeria’s security environment had become increasingly complex, requiring proactive leadership, innovation, and enhanced operational capabilities.

He stressed that the Army must remain flexible in confronting terrorism, banditry, and other forms of criminality, noting that modern military operations could no longer depend solely on conventional approaches because adversaries had continued to evolve their tactics.

According to the COAS, the conference was designed to critically assess operational realities across various theatres of operation and develop practical responses to emerging threats.

He urged participants to evaluate existing strategies, identify operational gaps, and propose sustainable solutions to improve combat effectiveness.

Shaibu also highlighted the importance of synergy among security agencies, saying no single agency could independently address Nigeria’s security challenges without effective collaboration and intelligence sharing.

The Army Chief further disclosed that the transition of Army conferences from quarterly and annual schedules to a bi-annual format since 2025 had significantly improved the implementation of operational decisions and enhanced effectiveness in the field.

He explained that the new arrangement provided formations and units adequate time to implement directives from previous conferences while improving monitoring, evaluation, and assessment of military operations nationwide.

“As we are all aware, since 2025, the Chief of Army Staff Conference has become bi-annual, transitioning from the previous quarterly and annual schedule. This change was intended to ensure ample time for implementing decisions and directives from each conference, leading to greater effectiveness and impact in the field,” he said.

Shaibu noted that the Army had recorded operational gains in counter-insurgency operations in the North-East as well as anti-banditry operations in the North-West and North-Central regions due to improved planning, coordination, and regular operational reviews.

He maintained that continuous assessment of operations remained critical to sustaining operational momentum and improving troop readiness.

The COAS reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to professionalism, discipline, and strict adherence to rules of engagement, noting that improved professionalism among troops had strengthened civil-military relations and enhanced public confidence in the institution.

He also revealed that Army Headquarters had intensified troop training, logistics support, and deployment of operational resources to formations and units to sustain ongoing military operations.

Shaibu commended officers and soldiers for their sacrifices in various operational theatres and assured them of continued support from Army Headquarters.

He equally appreciated the Federal Government for sustained support in the areas of funding, procurement of equipment, and troop welfare.

In his welcome address, the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Alabi, said the Nigerian Army had recorded significant operational successes across several theatres under the leadership of the COAS.

Alabi described the conference as historic, noting that it was the first major event held at the newly constructed Nigerian Army Conference Centre in Abuja.

He said the Army’s operational effectiveness, strengthened by discipline and adherence to rules of engagement, had improved civil-military relations and reinforced public confidence in the institution.

The senior officer added that Army Headquarters had continued to support formations and units through enhanced training and additional operational resources aimed at building a more professional, combat-ready, adaptable, and resilient force capable of operating effectively in joint and multi-agency environments.

He urged participants to critically review ongoing operations, identify lessons from operational setbacks, and develop realistic strategies to counter emerging security threats.

Highlights of the occasion was the presentation of chegues to the wounded soldiers and next of kin to families of the fallen heroes.

The conference featured operational briefings, strategic presentations, and discussions on evolving security threats and military responses, with attendance by senior military officers, commanders, heads of military establishments, representatives of sister security agencies, regimental sergeant majors, and members of the media.