Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu and the West African country's military have confirmed the killing of a senior leader of Deash terrorist group Abu-Bilal al-Minuki in a joint operation with US forces.

"Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation,’’ Tinubu said in a statement on Saturday after US President Donald Trump first announced the killing on Friday.

Tinubu said the operation ‘‘dealt a heavy blow’’ to the terrorist group.

The Nigerian defence forces said Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was a "senior’’ Daesh leader and ‘‘one of the world's most active terrorists".

He was killed overnight, according to both Trump and Tinubu, with the US president saying the killed terrorist figure was the second-in-command of Daesh worldwide.

Tinubu said in a press statement by his office that al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, was killed "along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin".

'Critical code removed'

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters described him as an "operational and strategic figure who provided guidance’’ to Daesh outside Nigeria ‘‘on matters relating to media operations, economic warfare and the development and manufacturing of weapons, explosives and drones".

It said his "death removes a critical node’’ through which Daesh ‘‘coordinated and directed operations across different regions of the world".

Nigeria is battling terrorist groups, including regional offshoots of the Deash organisation and Boko Haram. It has also carried out strikes and operations against non-ideological violent gangs of criminals, known as "bandits", who carry out kidnappings for ransom.

The US has recently deployed hundreds of troops to Nigeria to support and train its forces following tensions between the two countries.