Nigeria Discloses It Supplied Intelligence for Christmas Day Military Strikes as Defense Secretary Warns of More Attacks
Nigeria's foreign ministry has stated that it played a role in the American military operation carried out on December 25, as stated by the country's foreign minister this week.
Former President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks targeting ISIS fighters in the northwestern region of Nigeria after a period of decrying the group for targeting Christians.
Detailed Discussions Preceded the Military Action
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had engaged in "extensive" discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the airstrike.
He also noted that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the airstrikes. Tuggar left the door open for further strikes, describing them as an "continuous effort" that would also involve other countries.
"The strikes had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "The objective is to do with attacking terrorists who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
American Official Predicts of Further Actions in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in the region.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of efforts to stop the targeting of Christian individuals, a stance reiterated by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "The president was explicit... the murder of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Military Action
The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by some supporters of the former president, who had been calling for a forceful response to the violence against Christians.
"There is no a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," posted one well-known activist on a digital platform.
Key Points from the Revelations
- Cooperation: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the American airstrikes.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
- Continuous Effort: The operation is described as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of future actions.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials strongly insist the targeting are solely about combating militants, not religion.
- US Commitment: A senior US defense leader has signaled further strikes are likely.
This development highlights the evolving security cooperation between the West African nation and the US in addressing terrorist threats in the region.
