🔗 Share this article American Issues Warning of Further Nigerian Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Collaborative Continuing Missions'. The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled additional military actions against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces conducted operations against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to end the slaughter of Christians. “The president was clear last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary stated on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Collaborative Operation Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He explained that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently 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 partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials. Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate started when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for resources. Clergy and pastors have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, 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 wounded 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 hardest-hit regions. Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Posture This action comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes in multiple countries and a major deployment of forces in another region. Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled additional military actions against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces conducted operations against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to end the slaughter of Christians. “The president was clear last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary stated on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Collaborative Operation Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He explained that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently 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 partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials. Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate started when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for resources. Clergy and pastors have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, 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 wounded 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 hardest-hit regions. Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Posture This action comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes in multiple countries and a major deployment of forces in another region. Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”