American Signals of Additional Nigeria Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Missions'.

The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled additional military actions against Islamic State strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces took action against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to stop the killing of Christians.

“The president was explicit last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary stated on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Joint Operation

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing 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 garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, before contacted 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 long desired, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed 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 hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in disputes for land and water.

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

Ongoing Violence and Data

There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.

Tuggar stressed that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Wider U.S. Military Policy

This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a significant military buildup in another region.

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