US Signals of Additional Nigeria Military Actions as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Operations'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further strikes against IS strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” Hegseth posted on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Joint Effort
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment followed after Trump had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough 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 drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Missions
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes 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 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 work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this IS branch started when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Clashes between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.
- Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination.
- A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict largely separate to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Unrest and Data
There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting 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 “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Wider U.S. Military Posture
This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.
Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
