Foreign Minister Yusuf Tugar said Friday that Nigeria had provided information to the United States ahead of a Christmas airstrike against Islamic State-linked militants in northwestern Nigeria.
The airstrike, announced by US President Donald Trump as a “strong and deadly” operation against “ISIS terrorist scum” accused of targeting Christians, was carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities in Sokoto state.
“Nigeria provided the information,” Tager told Who Owns Africa, adding that he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio twice, once for 19 minutes just before the operation, and again for five minutes just before. He added that President Bola Tinubu gave the final approval.
President Trump posted on Truth Social late Thursday: “Tonight, at my direction as Commander-in-Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly attack against the remnants of ISIS terrorists in northwestern Nigeria, who have primarily targeted innocent Christians and viciously murdered them at levels not seen in years, or even centuries!” he concluded, “Merry Christmas to everyone, including the fallen terrorists.”
U.S. Africa Command AFRICOM confirmed a precision strike on an ISIS camp in Sokoto near the Niger border, reporting initial assessment that multiple militants were killed. The operation involved firing Tomahawk missiles from a U.S. Navy ship in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the action as part of “structured security cooperation” with international partners to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
The targeted area is home to the extremist group locally known as Laklawa, which is suspected of having ties to the Islamic State Sahel. Analysts say Laklawa began life as a vigilante group against bandits, but has radicalized to impose strict rules and seek to establish a caliphate in Muslim-majority areas.
Underscoring the joint nature of the operation, Tager said: “We must be clear that this is a joint operation and that it is not targeted at any religion or simply in the name of one religion or the other.” He said the strike was an “ongoing process” that could involve other countries.
Sokoto’s reaction
Reaction in Sokoto was mixed. Former senator Shehu Sani said this would be a “conscientious move” if it was truly coordinated. Activist Omoyele Sowore said Trump “doesn’t understand or truly care about Nigeria or Nigerians,” calling it an attack on sovereignty.
Local media reported that missile debris was found in the village of Habo and that police were securing the scene. There were no confirmed civilian casualties, but U.S. officials said the attack neutralized a terrorist target.
The intervention follows earlier warnings from President Trump over alleged persecution of Christians in northwestern Nigeria, where violence primarily affects Muslim communities amid an infiltration of bandits and jihadists.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude for Nigeria’s cooperation and hinted at further operations, saying “more operations are coming.”
