The Nigerian Government Reveals It Supplied Intelligence for Christmas Day Airstrikes as US Official Predicts of Additional Attacks
Nigeria's government has confirmed that it played a role in the US airstrikes conducted on December 25, according to the country's foreign minister this week.
Former President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes against ISIS fighters in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the organization for attacking Christians.
Extensive Discussions Came Before the Operation
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had engaged in "extensive" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio both prior to and following the airstrike.
He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had given the "go-ahead" for the military action. Tuggar left the door open for further strikes, describing them as an "continuous effort" that would also involve international partners.
"The strikes had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is about targeting militants who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
American Official Predicts of Further Actions in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth cautioned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of efforts to halt the killing of Christians, a stance echoed by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "He was explicit... the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Airstrikes
The Christmas Day strikes were hailed by certain supporters of the former president, who had been agitating for a forceful response to the violence against Christians.
"I can’t think of a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," posted one well-known activist on social media.
Main Takeaways from the Announcement
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the American operation.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the strikes.
- Continuous Effort: The campaign is viewed as an "ongoing process" with potential for more strikes.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are solely about counter-terrorism, not religion.
- American Stance: A senior US defense leader has signaled further military actions are likely.
This development underscores the complex military partnership between the West African nation and the US in combating militant groups in the Sahel area.
