US Signals of Further Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Talks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Missions'.

The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated additional strikes against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria. This comes a short time after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to end the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Actions as Collaborative Effort

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

Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Missions

Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for approval, and then spoke with the American official again.

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

The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities.

Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria

Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this IS branch started when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Clashes between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.

• Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination.
• A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing Violence and Data

There have been thousands of incidents 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 emphasized that the operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Wider U.S. Military Policy

This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen military actions in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region.

Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”