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

Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, Director, Defence Media Operations, said this in an interview in a television programme.

Also, details of the action, which Trump described as a “complex mission” carried out by Nigerian and American troops, are beginning to emerge.

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.

However, officials who wished to stay anonymous, told the New York Times the US military initially sought to capture the ISIS leader, Al-Minuki.

But they killed him in an air strike when he would not surrender. The strikes targeted his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.

The attack was carried out by about two dozen Nigerian and American special operations commandos, including members of the Navy’s SEAL Team 6.

The commandos attacked Al-Minuki and about three dozen fighters on two small islands in Lake Chad.

The sources added that after the enclave was identified, Nigerian forces, working alongside their U.S. counterparts, launched a coordinated air-and-ground assault on the area.

Also, the Special Forces units blocked escape routes, secured the perimeter and supported extraction operations. The fight lasted over three hours, the sources added.

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday passed an amendment to the Electoral Act 2026, cutting the mandatory notice period for general elections from 360 days to 300 days. The primary motivation is to ensure the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections do not coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved the motion to rescind and recommit the bill after identifying that the original 360-day requirement could force the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to schedule the polls during Ramadan. He warned that elections held during the fasting period could negatively impact:

– Voter turnout
– Logistical arrangements
– Stakeholder participation
– Overall credibility and inclusiveness of the process

The amended Clause 28 now requires INEC to publish election notices “not later than 300 days” before the poll date, specifying the election date and nomination procedures.

The change came after consultations between National Assembly leadership and INEC. The commission had already announced February 20, 2027, for Presidential and National Assembly elections, and March 6, 2027, for governorship and state assembly polls.

Senate Committee on Electoral Matters Chairman Simon Lalong clarified that the dates were not deliberately set to conflict with Ramadan, but follow a long-term timetable established by former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu for elections from 2019 to 2031.

The amendment passed swiftly after the Senate invoked its standing orders to revisit the bill.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has urged Hon. Uchenna Jnr. Erondu, the Obingwa West member of the Abia State House of Assembly, to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and back President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Kalu made the appeal on Saturday during a visit to Erondu’s residence to congratulate him on a recent constituency empowerment programme in Obingwa Local Government Area. The Deputy Speaker, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, said Erondu’s time in the PDP has “expired” and invited him and his supporters to join APC and the Renewed Hope Partners, a grassroots group promoting Tinubu’s agenda.

“The room is big enough for everyone,” Kalu said, praising Erondu’s work for constituents and urging Ndi Obingwa to join efforts to “deliver Mr. President to come back and complete what he has started.” He also lauded President Tinubu’s policies, saying they have begun to positively impact lives despite public criticism of some decisions.

Erondu responded by thanking Kalu for the visit and pledged to consult his constituents before deciding on any defection. He also assured the Deputy Speaker of his commitment to delivering votes for Tinubu in Abia South, saying campaign visits by the President would be unnecessary in the area.

Kalu’s appeal comes amid reported growth in APC membership in Abia following the party’s recent e-registration exercise. The visit and statements were detailed in a press release signed by Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker.