US Issues Warning of Further Nigerian Military Actions as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Operations'.

The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new military actions against Islamic State strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces took action against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to stop the killing of Christians.

“The president was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Collaborative Operation

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Collaboration Preceding the Missions

Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his American opposite number, before contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently conferred with the American official again.

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

The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with local officials.

Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria

Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate originated when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in competition for resources.

• Priests and pastors have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
• A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct insurgency largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing Violence and Data

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

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

Wider American Foreign Posture

This action occurs amid a broader pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” 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. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”