US Warns of Further Nigerian Strikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.

The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled additional airstrikes against Islamic State strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a mission to end the killing of Christians.

“The president was explicit last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Joint Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed.

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

Information and Coordination Preceding the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke with the American official again.

“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

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

Context of Violence in Northwestern 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 IS branch originated when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

Clashes between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.

• Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been 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 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 Data

There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.

Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Broader U.S. Foreign Policy

This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region.

Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”