American Warns of Further Nigerian Strikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Operations'.

The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new strikes against IS positions in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to stop the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Strikes as Joint Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Airstrikes

Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and then spoke with the American official again.

“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate originated when herders joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources.

• Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination.
• A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Violence and Statistics

There have been thousands of events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.

Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Wider U.S. Foreign Posture

This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a significant military buildup in another region.

No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”