The Nigerian Government Confirms It Supplied Key Information for Christmas Day Military Strikes as US Official Warns of Additional Operations
The Nigerian government has confirmed that it played a role in the US airstrikes carried out on December 25, according to the nation's foreign minister this week.
Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks targeting Islamic State fighters in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the group for attacking Christians.
Detailed Discussions Came Before the Operation
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had engaged in "lengthy" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio both prior to and following the attack.
He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had given the "go-ahead" for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include international partners.
"The strikes had nothing to do with a particular religion," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "The objective is about attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians."
US Warns of More Actions in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned of additional military actions against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians, a position reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "He was clear... the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."
Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes
The holiday military operation were hailed by some political allies of the former president, who had been calling for a forceful response to the violence against Christians.
"There is no a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," commented one well-known activist on social media.
Main Takeaways from the Revelations
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the American operation.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
- Continuous Effort: The campaign is described as an "continuing mission" with the possibility of more strikes.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are solely about counter-terrorism, not religion.
- US Commitment: A senior US defense leader has signaled further military actions are likely.
This development underscores the evolving military partnership between the West African nation and the US in combating militant groups in the region.
