The Nigerian Government Discloses It Furnished Key Information for Christmas Day Military Strikes as US Official Predicts of More Attacks
Nigeria's foreign ministry has announced that it provided crucial intelligence in the US airstrikes conducted on December 25, as stated by the country's foreign minister this week.
Ex-President Donald Trump had announced the strikes against Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks decrying the group for targeting Christians.
Extensive Consultations Preceded the Military Action
Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had held "extensive" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately before and after the airstrike.
He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the military action. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would also involve other countries.
"This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "It is to do with targeting militants who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
US Warns of Further Strikes in Nigeria
Shortly following the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to stop the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes
The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by certain political allies of the former president, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.
"There is no a better way to observe the holiday than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one prominent activist on a digital platform.
Main Takeaways from the Announcement
- Cooperation: Nigeria supplied crucial information for the American airstrikes.
- Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the strikes.
- Ongoing Process: The campaign is described as an "continuing mission" with potential for future actions.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are focused on counter-terrorism, not religious affiliation.
- US Commitment: A top American official has indicated additional strikes are likely.
This development highlights the complex security cooperation between the West African nation and the US in combating terrorist threats in the Sahel area.