American Signals of Additional Nigerian Airstrikes as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.

The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional strikes against ISIS positions in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces took action against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a campaign to end the killing of Christians.

“The president was clear last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before called 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 long desired, to work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials.

Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists banded together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for land and water.

• Priests and pastors have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
• A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly 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 half 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 collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Wider American Military Policy

This action comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen strikes in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region.

No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”