US Signals of More Nigerian Strikes as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional military actions against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a campaign to end the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” Hegseth wrote on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Collaborative Effort
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his American opposite number, then contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently 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 fight terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.
Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate originated when pastoralists banded together to combat 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 communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for land and water.
- Clergy and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Violence and Statistics
There have been numerous 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 most affected regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader American Foreign Posture
This intervention occurs amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region.
No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
