The United States carried out air strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in north-west Nigeria on Thursday, marking a significant intensification of a long-running security campaign that has strained Nigeria’s military for years.
The operation took place in Sokoto State and was carried out at the request of the Nigerian government, according to officials from both countries. US President Donald Trump publicly announced the strikes on his Truth Social platform, describing them as “powerful and deadly.”
President Trump alleged that the targeted militants had been responsible for violent attacks that resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians, particularly Christians. Nigerian authorities confirmed that the strikes followed intelligence sharing and close strategic coordination between Abuja and Washington.
Speaking in a later interview, Mr Trump revealed that he deliberately chose Christmas Day for the operation, saying he delayed the timing as a symbolic gesture. He also hinted that further military action could follow if attacks by militant groups continue.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth echoed the president’s remarks, warning that additional strikes were possible and insisting that attacks on civilians in Nigeria would not be tolerated.
Nigeria continues to battle a complex and worsening security environment, with multiple armed groups operating across different regions of the country. Analysts note that both Muslim and Christian communities have suffered from the violence, which is often fuelled by poverty, weak governance and the absence of effective state authority in rural areas.
Security experts say the Nigerian military is overstretched, facing banditry, terrorism and kidnappings simultaneously. Although air strikes are frequently used to target militant hideouts, these operations are often short-lived, allowing fighters to relocate through vast forest regions and porous borders.
Among the armed groups active in the north-west is Lakurawa, which analysts believe was the likely target of the US strikes. The group, linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province, has expanded its influence in recent years and is accused of killings, abductions and other violent crimes in Sokoto and neighbouring states.
Debate continues over claims that the violence primarily targets Christians. While some US politicians have cited large casualty figures, independent investigations suggest such numbers are difficult to verify and may be inaccurate. Experts stress that Nigeria’s conflict is not driven solely by religion but by a mix of ethnic tensions, criminal networks, land disputes and extremist ideology.
Nigerian officials have repeatedly rejected attempts to frame the crisis as a religious war, emphasizing that extremist groups attack anyone who opposes their ideology, regardless of faith.
Islamic State, once considered the world’s deadliest terrorist organisation, lost its territorial stronghold in Iraq and Syria years ago. However, terrorism experts warn that its affiliates in Africa have adapted and expanded, posing renewed threats across the region.
