US Warns of Further Nigerian Military Actions as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.

The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new strikes against IS targets in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians.

“The president was explicit last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth stated on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's 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 American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is officially a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes

Nigeria supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.

“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

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

Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Forests 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 IS branch started when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

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

• Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
• A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict largely separate to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing Violence and Statistics

There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.

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

Wider American Military Policy

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

No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”