US Issues Warning of More Nigeria Military Actions as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new strikes against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces took action against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a mission to stop the slaughter of Christians.
“The president was clear previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and then conferred with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate started when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Clashes between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes 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 sectarian hatred.
- A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Unrest and Data
There have been numerous events 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 hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader American Military Policy
This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period 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 recent airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”
