The Nigerian Government Reveals It Supplied Intelligence for Recent Airstrikes as US Official Warns of Additional Attacks

The Nigerian foreign ministry has confirmed that it played a role in the American military operation carried out on December 25, according to the country's foreign minister on Friday.

Former President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes against ISIS militants in north-west Nigeria after a period of decrying the group for attacking Christians.

Extensive Consultations Preceded the Operation

Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had held "extensive" discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both before and after the airstrike.

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, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would potentially include international partners.

"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 Actions in Nigeria

Shortly following the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned of additional military actions against Islamic State targets in the region.

Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the targeting of Christian individuals, a stance echoed by the former president. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."

Political Reaction to the Military Action

The holiday military operation were hailed by some supporters of the former president, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.

"I can’t think of a better way to observe the holiday than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one well-known activist on a digital platform.

Key Points from the Revelations

• Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria actively provided crucial information for the American operation.
• Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
• Continuous Effort: The operation is viewed as an "ongoing process" with potential for future actions.
• Secular Objective: Nigerian officials strongly insist the strikes are focused on counter-terrorism, not religion.
• American Stance: A senior US defense leader has signaled further military actions are on the horizon.

The situation underscores the evolving security cooperation between Nigeria and the US in combating terrorist threats in the region.