Nigeria's foreign ministry has announced that it played a role in the US airstrikes conducted on Christmas Day, according to the country's foreign minister on Friday.
Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks targeting Islamic State militants in the northwestern region of Nigeria after a period of decrying the organization for attacking Christian communities.
Extensive Consultations Came Before the Operation
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had held "lengthy" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately before and after the attack.
He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had given the "go-ahead" for the airstrikes. Tuggar left the door open for further strikes, describing them as an "continuous effort" that would potentially include other countries.
"The strikes had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar insisted in an discussion with the BBC. "It is about targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."
US Warns of More Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of additional military actions against Islamic State targets in the region.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to stop the killing of Christians, a position echoed by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "The president was clear... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Airstrikes
The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by certain political allies of the former president, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.
"There is no a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one prominent activist on a digital platform.
Main Takeaways from the Revelations
- Cooperation: Nigeria actively provided crucial information for the US-led airstrikes.
- Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the military action.
- Continuous Effort: The campaign is described as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of more strikes.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are solely about counter-terrorism, not religious affiliation.
- American Stance: A top American official has indicated additional strikes are on the horizon.
This development underscores the evolving security cooperation between the West African nation and the United States in addressing militant groups in the Sahel area.
