🔗 Share this article American Warns of Further Nigeria Military Actions as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'. The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further military actions against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Joint Operation Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment came after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Missions Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his American opposite number, then contacted 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 long desired, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials. Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups 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 Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in competition for resources. Clergy and pastors have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination. A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Violence and Data There have been thousands of 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 hardest-hit regions. Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Policy This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region. No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further military actions against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Joint Operation Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment came after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Missions Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his American opposite number, then contacted 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 long desired, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials. Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups 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 Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in competition for resources. Clergy and pastors have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination. A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Violence and Data There have been thousands of 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 hardest-hit regions. Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Policy This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region. No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”