American Issues Warning of Additional Nigerian Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.

The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new strikes against Islamic State strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces conducted operations against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a campaign to end the killing of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment followed after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and then 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 partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

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

Context of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria

Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate originated when pastoralists banded together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in competition for land and water.

• Clergy and religious leaders 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 took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Violence and Data

There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.

Tuggar stressed that the operation 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 U.S. Foreign Policy

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

No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”