US Issues Warning of Further Nigerian Military Actions as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Operations'.

The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new airstrikes against Islamic State strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the murder 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. There is more ahead … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Joint Operation

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

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

Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes

Nigeria supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, before contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, 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 work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

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

Context of Conflict in North-West Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists joined together to combat 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 competition for resources.

• Priests and pastors have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
• 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 largely 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 50% 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 civilians,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Broader American Foreign Policy

This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.

Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the recent 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.”