Secretary of State Marco Rubio says United States will sustain counterterrorism cooperation with Nigeria and its security forces, citing a recent joint operation that killed a top ISIS commander.
Rubio made the remarks on Tuesday while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a hearing on the State Department’s budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year.
A video of his testimony was released by the State Department on Wednesday.
He noted that the US remains concerned about reported violence against Christians in Nigeria and will continue to provide assistance in addressing the situation.
Rubio highlighted the ongoing security collaboration, saying, “We are now actively in counterterrorism cooperation with the Nigerian government and Nigerian security forces, including a joint operation a couple of weeks ago that took out the number two leader of global ISIS operating from inside of the country, and that continues.”
The comments come amid deeper security ties between the US and Nigeria. In May 2026, American and Nigerian forces carried out joint strikes in northeastern Nigeria targeting the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), an ISIS affiliate.
President Donald Trump publicly confirmed the elimination of Abu Bilal al-Minuki, described as the global number two leader of ISIS, who had been operating from Nigeria. Nigerian military officials and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed the operation and stated that Nigeria provided key intelligence.
In December, US airstrikes also targeted a terrorist enclave in Sokoto State, resulting in an unspecified number of fatalities.
Nigeria has long battled insurgencies by Boko Haram and ISWAP, groups responsible for thousands of deaths, widespread displacement, and repeated attacks on civilians in the north and Middle Belt regions.
The enhanced US-Nigeria cooperation followed Washington’s designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern over alleged violence against Christians, a claim the Nigerian government has denied while calling for continued partnership.
