Nigeria Discloses It Provided Intelligence for Recent Airstrikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of More Attacks

Nigeria's foreign ministry has stated that it played a role in the US airstrikes conducted on Christmas Day, according to the nation's foreign minister this week.

Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks against ISIS fighters in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the organization for targeting Christian communities.

Extensive Discussions Came Before the Operation

Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had held "lengthy" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the attack.

He also noted that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had given the "go-ahead" for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include international partners.

"The strikes had nothing to do with a particular religion," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."

US Warns of Further Strikes in Nigeria

Shortly following the initial strikes, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.

Hegseth characterized the action as part of efforts to halt the targeting of Christian individuals, a position reiterated by the former president. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the murder of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."

Political Reaction to the Airstrikes

The holiday military operation were hailed by certain political allies of the ex-leader, 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 avenging the death of Christians," commented one prominent political figure on a digital platform.

Main Takeaways from the Announcement

• Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the US-led operation.
• High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the strikes.
• Ongoing Process: The operation is viewed as an "continuing mission" with potential for more strikes.
• Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are solely about combating militants, not religious affiliation.
• US Commitment: A senior US official has indicated additional military actions are likely.

This development highlights the complex security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in addressing militant groups in the region.