US lawmaker warns Nigerian terrorists: ‘Do not test Trump’s resolve’

A United States congressman has warned that terrorists targeting Christians in Nigeria will face consequences, crediting President Donald Trump for ordering the recent joint US-Nigerian operation that killed a senior Islamic State commander.

Riley Moore, a Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee, said the strike that eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki  identified as the second-in-command of ISIS globally  sends a clear message that those who target innocent Christians will be hunted down.

In an interview on NewsNation on Sunday, Moore described President Trump as laser-focused on defending Christian communities in northeastern Nigeria against what he called slaughter at the hands of radical Islamic terrorists.

The lawmaker said the Trump administration has intensified engagement with Nigeria following the president’s designation of the country as a nation of particular concern in October last year. He added that Trump personally tasked him with investigating the situation.

“I travelled to Nigeria with my colleagues from the Appropriations Committee and put together this report that we presented to the White House with a number of key recommendations on how we can try to protect those populations that are suffering,” Moore said.

He noted that US involvement in Nigeria has roots dating back more than a decade, including the emergence of Boko Haram prior to 2015.

The Defence Headquarters had earlier confirmed that al-Minuki was killed in a precision strike in the Lake Chad Basin. Military intelligence described him as one of the world’s most operationally versatile terrorist commanders, overseeing weapons manufacturing, drone development, and global media operations for ISIS.

Intelligence assessments indicated that as recently as February 2026, al-Minuki may have been elevated to head of the ISIS General Directorate of States  the second most senior position in the group’s global hierarchy.

Before pledging allegiance to ISIS in 2015, he was a prominent Boko Haram leader and was linked to the 2018 Dapchi kidnapping of over 100 schoolgirls. He had been under US sanctions since 2023.

Moore warned: “Do not test President Trump’s resolve.”