American Warns of Additional Nigeria Military Actions as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.

The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new strikes against IS strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Actions as Joint Operation

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This statement came after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing 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 frame it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes

Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his American opposite number, before called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred with the American official again.

“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “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 death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials.

Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this IS branch started when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for resources.

• Priests and religious leaders 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 injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Unrest and Statistics

There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.

Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”

Broader American Foreign Posture

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

Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”