Nigeria Confirms It Provided Intelligence for Recent Airstrikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of Additional Operations

Nigeria's foreign ministry has confirmed that it played a role in the American military operation carried out on December 25, according to the nation's foreign minister this week.

Former President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks targeting ISIS militants in the northwestern region of Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the group for attacking Christian communities.

Detailed Discussions Came Before the Military Action

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

He also noted that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had given the "go-ahead" for the airstrikes. Tuggar left the door open for further strikes, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would also involve international partners.

"The strikes had nothing to do with a particular religion," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."

US Warns of Further Strikes in Nigeria

Hours after the initial strikes, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.

Hegseth characterized the action as part of efforts to halt the targeting of Christian individuals, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "He was explicit... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."

Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes

The holiday military operation were hailed by certain supporters of the former president, who had been calling for a forceful response 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 Revelations

• Cooperation: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led airstrikes.
• High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the strikes.
• Ongoing Process: The campaign is described as an "continuing mission" with the possibility of more strikes.
• Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials strongly insist the strikes are solely about counter-terrorism, not religious affiliation.
• US Commitment: A senior US defense leader has signaled additional military actions are likely.

The situation highlights the evolving security cooperation between the West African nation and the US in combating terrorist threats in the Sahel area.