US Issues Warning of Additional Nigerian Military Actions as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.

The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional strikes against ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to halt the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Collaborative Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is officially a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes

Nigeria supplied the intelligence 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 conferred 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 work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

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

Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts 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.

Conflicts between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.

• 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 Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Unrest 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 mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”

Broader American Foreign Posture

This action occurs amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.

No official from the U.S. or 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.”