Nigeria Discloses It Furnished Key Information for Recent Airstrikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of Additional Attacks

Nigeria's government has announced that it played a role in the American military operation conducted on Christmas Day, as stated by the nation's foreign minister this week.

Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks targeting ISIS fighters in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the group for attacking Christian communities.

Detailed Consultations Came Before the Operation

Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had held "extensive" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the attack.

He also noted that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would also involve international partners.

"This operation had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."

American Official Predicts of More Actions in Nigeria

Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth cautioned of more strikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria.

Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the former president. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."

Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes

The holiday military operation were hailed by certain political allies of the former president, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians.

"I can’t think of a better way to observe the holiday than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one prominent activist on social media.

Main Takeaways from the Revelations

• Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the US-led operation.
• Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
• Continuous Effort: The campaign is viewed as an "continuing mission" with potential for more strikes.
• Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are focused on counter-terrorism, not religion.
• US Commitment: A top American defense leader has indicated additional military actions are likely.

The situation highlights the evolving security cooperation between the West African nation and the United States in addressing militant groups in the Sahel area.