American Issues Warning of More Nigerian Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated further military actions against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a campaign to end the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Top Diplomat Frames Strikes as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough 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 garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Missions
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.
Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate originated when pastoralists banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly 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 taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Unrest and Data
There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Wider American Foreign Posture
This action comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in several countries and a major military buildup in another region.
No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
