Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has disclosed that President Donald Trump personally directed the Pentagon to prioritise the protection of Christians in Nigeria who are targeted by ISIS-linked militant groups. The revelation was made during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Hegseth explained that the president issued the directive about a year ago after becoming aware of the escalating attacks against Christian communities in the country.
According to Hegseth, the covert operation, which largely escaped media attention, involved the behind-the-scenes coordination of military assets and a deployment of US forces to the region. The most significant result of this campaign, he said, was the killing of the second-in-command of the Islamic State in Nigeria, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. The high-value target was eliminated earlier this month in a joint US-Nigeria military operation in the Lake Chad Basin area. Hegseth described al-Minuki as the ISIS commander "most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland".
Hegseth stated that intelligence gathered during the operation has since enabled US forces to kill "hundreds" of other ISIS fighters who were directly involved in attacks on Christians and posed broader threats to the United States. “Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth recounted, quoting the president. He said the operation demonstrated the Trump administration’s commitment to counterterrorism, and he commended the president for empowering the Department to take action that deserved "great credit".
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