American Warns of More Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.

The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further military actions against Islamic State positions in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to halt the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Top Diplomat Describes Actions as Joint Effort

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This comment followed after Trump had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Coordination Preceding the Missions

Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently conferred with the American official again.

“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africom said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials.

Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.

• Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
• A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Unrest and Statistics

There have been thousands of events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them affecting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.

Tuggar stressed that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”

Broader American Military Posture

This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.

No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”