The United States confirmed on Thursday that Nigeria participated in a coordinated operation targeting terrorist groups, highlighting ongoing security collaboration between the two nations.
While the U.S. described the operation as aimed at militants responsible for killing Christians, the Nigerian government emphasized that the strikes were directed at terrorists threatening civilian populations in the northern states.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, in a post on X, stated that President Donald Trump had been clear about ending attacks on innocent Christians in Nigeria and elsewhere. He added that the Department of War remains ready for further action, noting that Islamic State-linked groups were targeted during the Christmas Day operation.
“The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come…” Hegseth wrote, also thanking the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation.
While the Secretary of War credited Nigeria’s role, President Trump did not mention the country in his own post on Truth Social, in which he said: “The United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries.”
According to The New York Times, the U.S. military fired more than a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles from a Navy vessel in the Gulf of Guinea, striking insurgent camps in Sokoto State in coordination with the Nigerian military. Initial assessments by U.S. Africa Command indicated that “multiple” ISIS militants were killed.
“US Africa Command is working with Nigerian and regional partners to enhance counter-terrorism efforts against ongoing violence and threats to civilians,” said Dagvin Anderson, AFRICOM commander. “Our aim is to protect Americans and disrupt violent extremist organizations wherever they operate.”
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the strikes were part of ongoing security cooperation with the U.S., including intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to target militant groups. Spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said, “This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West.” He added, “Terrorist violence in any form — whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities — violates Nigeria’s values and threatens international peace and security.”
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) also responded, noting that the strikes were executed with approval from appropriate authorities and were part of broader efforts to neutralize terrorists and protect national security. “The operation was based on credible intelligence and meticulous planning to reduce collateral damage while degrading the terrorists’ operational capacity,” said Defence spokesperson Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba.
The DHQ confirmed that Nigeria provided intelligence while U.S. forces carried out the bombing. Security analyst Bulama Bukarti welcomed the strikes, noting that they could weaken the militants’ leadership and logistics, particularly since the operation was conducted with Nigeria’s consent.
In recent months, President Trump repeatedly cited alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, warning that the U.S. might intervene militarily if the killings continued. The administration designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over these allegations, although Nigerian authorities have consistently rejected claims of a Christian genocide, stressing that multiple armed groups attack victims of all faiths.
The Christmas Day strikes reportedly targeted the Lakurawa group, a militant faction operating in northwestern Nigeria near Niger and Benin. U.S. military planning for potential intervention began in November, with intelligence-gathering flights conducted over Nigeria ahead of the operation.
