US Warns of Further Nigeria Airstrikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'.

The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional military actions against Islamic State positions in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” Hegseth wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Collaborative Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This statement came after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities provided the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for approval, 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 partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with Nigerian authorities.

Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Clashes between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for resources.

• Clergy and pastors have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives 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 distinct conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing Violence and Statistics

There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.

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

Wider U.S. Military Posture

This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of American 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 presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.

Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”