US Issues Warning of Further Nigeria Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Operations'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further military actions against Islamic State positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes a short time after American forces conducted operations against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians.
“The president was clear last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth stated on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Joint Effort
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This comment came after the former U.S. leader had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Missions
Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had spoken with his American opposite number, before called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate originated when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for resources.
- Priests and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Statistics
There have been thousands of events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar stressed that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader American Foreign Policy
This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in multiple countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.
No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”