Nigeria Discloses It Furnished Intelligence for US-Led Military Strikes as US Official Predicts of More Operations

Nigeria's government has stated that it played a role in the US airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day, according to the country's foreign minister this week.

Ex-President Donald Trump had announced the strikes targeting ISIS militants in the northwestern region of Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the group for attacking Christians.

Detailed Consultations Came Before the Military Action

Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had held "extensive" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the airstrike.

He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would also involve other countries.

"This operation had nothing to do with a particular religion," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."

American Official Predicts of More Strikes in Nigeria

Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against ISIS locations in the region.

Hegseth described the strikes as part of efforts to halt the targeting of Christian individuals, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "The president was clear... the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."

Supporters' Response to the Military Action

The holiday military operation were met with praise by some political allies of the former president, who had been calling for a forceful response to the attacks against Christians.

"I can’t think of a better way to observe the holiday than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one prominent activist on social media.

Main Takeaways from the Announcement

• Cooperation: Nigeria supplied crucial information for the US-led airstrikes.
• Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
• Ongoing Process: The operation is described as an "continuing mission" with potential for future actions.
• Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are focused on combating militants, not religion.
• American Stance: A senior US official has indicated further military actions are likely.

This development underscores the evolving security cooperation between Nigeria and the US in addressing militant groups in the region.