President Trump to hunt down terrorists responsible for attacks on Christians in Nigeria — US lawmaker
United States Congressman Riley Moore has declared that President Donald Trump is determined to pursue terrorists responsible for attacks on Christians in Nigeria, following a joint military operation that reportedly eliminated a senior ISIS figure.
Moore made the remarks during an appearance on NewsNation while discussing the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who was identified as one of the top global commanders of the Islamic State group.
The American lawmaker said the operation demonstrated Washington’s readiness to confront extremist networks threatening civilians and religious communities in Nigeria.
According to him, the successful strike sends a direct warning to terrorist organisations operating across the region.
In a message posted on X, Moore said Trump remained deeply concerned about violence targeting Christians in Nigeria and had taken a personal interest in the issue.
He noted that the U.S. president was committed to ensuring that those behind such attacks face justice.
Moore speaks on Nigeria visit
The congressman revealed that Trump had asked him to examine reports of religious persecution in Nigeria firsthand.
Moore explained that he later travelled to the country with members of the House Appropriations Committee to assess the security situation and gather information on affected communities.
After the visit, he said recommendations were forwarded to the White House on possible measures to strengthen protection for vulnerable populations facing terrorist violence.
The Republican representative added that the United States had expanded its attention on Nigeria’s security challenges after the country was labelled a “nation of particular concern” by the Trump administration last year.
Moore stressed that the matter remained important to both him and the American president, adding that many citizens in the United States had expressed support for efforts aimed at addressing the crisis.
Joint operation kills ISIS commander
The comments followed reports that Nigerian and American forces carried out a coordinated military operation in the northeast that resulted in the death of al-Minuki.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Trump both acknowledged the development after the operation was concluded.
According to Nigerian authorities, troops worked closely with U.S. personnel during the offensive, which focused on dismantling a major terrorist structure within the Lake Chad region.
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters described the mission as carefully coordinated and intelligence-driven.
Security officials said the slain ISIS commander had been heavily involved in weapons production, drone coordination and propaganda activities linked to the extremist group.
Intelligence assessments also reportedly placed him among the organisation’s highest-ranking global leaders before the operation.
Moore further stated that American cooperation with Nigeria on counterterrorism efforts has existed for years, particularly since the rise of Boko Haram in the mid-2010s.