Nigeria Discloses It Supplied Key Information for Recent Airstrikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of More Attacks
The Nigerian foreign ministry has confirmed that it played a role in the US airstrikes conducted on Christmas Day, as stated by the nation's foreign minister on Friday.
Former President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes targeting Islamic State fighters in the northwestern region of Nigeria after a period of decrying the organization for attacking Christians.
Extensive Consultations Came Before the Operation
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had held "lengthy" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both prior to and following the attack.
He also noted that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the military action. Tuggar left the door open for additional operations, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would potentially include other countries.
"The strikes had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an discussion with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."
US Warns of More Strikes in Nigeria
Shortly following the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned of more strikes against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth characterized the action as part of a mission to halt the targeting of Christian individuals, a position echoed by the former president. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "The president was explicit... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Military Action
The Christmas Day strikes were hailed by some political allies of the former president, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians.
"I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one prominent political figure on social media.
Key Points from the Revelations
- Cooperation: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the US-led airstrikes.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the strikes.
- Continuous Effort: The campaign is viewed as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of more strikes.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are focused on counter-terrorism, not religion.
- American Stance: A senior US official has indicated additional strikes are likely.
This development highlights the evolving military partnership between Nigeria and the US in combating terrorist threats in the region.
