SOKOTO STATE, Nigeria — The United States has conducted what President Donald Trump characterized as a “powerful and deadly strike” against Islamic State (IS) militants in north-western Nigeria.
Describing the insurgents as “terrorist scum,” President Trump asserted that the group has been “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”.
Operational success in Sokoto
According to the President, the U.S. military “executed numerous perfect strikes” during the mission. The U.S. Africa Command (Africom) confirmed that the engagement occurred on Thursday in Sokoto State, executed in close coordination with Nigerian authorities.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,” Trump said, adding that he wishes a “MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.”
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar verified the nature of the engagement, describing it to Vivid Voice News as a “joint operation” aimed at “terrorists”.
Minister Tuggar emphasized that the mission “has nothing to do with a particular religion” and noted that the operation had been in development “for quite some time,” utilizing intelligence provided by Nigeria.
Conflicting narratives on religious violence
A central theme of the U.S. administration’s rhetoric is the protection of religious minorities. In a Truth Social post, President Trump declared, “under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper”.
This follows his recent designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” due to what he termed an “existential threat” to its Christian population.
However, data from independent monitoring groups and local officials present a more complex reality:
- Broad victimization: Groups such as Acled report that while jihadist organizations like Boko Haram and IS West Africa Province have caused immense devastation, the majority of their victims over the last decade have been Muslims.
- Monitoring insights: Violence monitoring organizations state there is no empirical evidence to suggest Christians are killed at higher rates than Muslims in the country.
- Government stance: President Bola Tinubu has consistently maintained that security challenges affect citizens “across faiths and regions.”
- Local conflict dynamics: In central Nigeria, clashes between predominantly Muslim herders and largely Christian farmers often stem from resource competition over water and pasture, with atrocities documented on both sides.
Diplomatic and military cooperation
Despite the friction regarding the religious narrative, military cooperation remains robust. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed that he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation,” concluding his message on X with “Merry Christmas!”.
“The legal profession will no longer stand idle while the rule of law is extinguished,” Nigerian Foreign Ministry on structured security co-operation.
Daniel Bwala, an adviser to President Tinubu, noted that while Nigeria welcomes U.S. assistance in combating Islamist insurgents, it remains a “sovereign” nation.
Also Read: Trump orders military ‘action’ prep against Islamist militants killing Christians in Nigeria
The Nigerian foreign ministry released a statement on Friday morning confirming that the country’s authorities “remain engaged in structured security co-operation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorist and violent extremism”.
The ministry added that this collaboration has resulted in “precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West”.
This activity in Africa follows a separate “massive strike” conducted by the U.S. against IS in Syria just last week, where fighter jets and artillery targeted more than 70 locations.
