US Warns of Additional Nigerian Airstrikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Missions'.

The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new airstrikes against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces conducted operations against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to stop the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Effort

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This statement followed after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes

Nigeria provided the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently conferred 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 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 strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with local officials.

Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate originated when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for land and water.

• Priests and pastors have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
• A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict largely separate to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing Violence and Statistics

There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them affecting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.

Tuggar stressed that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Broader American Foreign Posture

This action comes amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.

No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”