On Christmas Day, the United States military conducted airstrikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria’s northwestern Sokoto state, an operation President Donald Trump described as a “powerful and deadly strike” against “terrorist scum”.
In a social media post, Trump stated the action was a response to the “vicious killing, primarily, of innocent Christians” and warned of more strikes if the “slaughter” continues.
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the strikes were carried out in coordination with the Nigerian government and that an initial assessment indicated “multiple” militant fatalities.
While U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked Nigeria for its cooperation, Nigerian officials presented a different perspective.
Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar characterised the mission as a “joint operation” that had been planned for some time using Nigerian intelligence, stressing that it targeted terrorists who kill all Nigerians and had “nothing to do with a particular religion” or the Christmas holiday.
The strikes represent a significant escalation in U.S. military involvement, which had previously focused on surveillance and support, and follow months of Trump accusing Nigeria of failing to protect its Christian population.
