US Warns of More Nigerian Strikes as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.

The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new military actions against Islamic State strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to end the killing of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Joint Operation

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment followed after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Collaboration Behind the Missions

Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.

“We have been collaborating extensively 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 fight terrorism, to end the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

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

Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this IS branch originated when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Conflicts between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.

• Clergy and pastors have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
• A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing Unrest and Data

There have been thousands of events 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 a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Wider American Military Policy

This action occurs amid a broader pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.

No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked 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 ongoing.”