US Signals of Further Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Missions'.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further strikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to stop the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and then conferred with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate started when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Conflicts between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for land and water.
- Clergy and pastors have been increasingly taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred.
- A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency largely unrelated 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 50% of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Wider U.S. Foreign Posture
This action occurs amid a broader pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen strikes in several countries and a major military buildup in another region.
Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
