US Warns of Further Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Operations'.

The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated further military actions against ISIS positions in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a campaign to stop the slaughter of Christians.

“The president was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Actions as Collaborative Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint continuing operations.” This statement followed after the former U.S. leader had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes

Nigeria provided the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke with the American official again.

“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.

Background of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this IS branch started when pastoralists banded together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in competition for resources.

• Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred.
• A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing Violence and Data

There have been thousands of incidents 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 “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”

Wider American Military Posture

This action comes amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes in several 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 recent airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”