🔗 Share this article US Issues Warning of Further Nigerian Military Actions as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'. The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated further strikes against Islamic State positions in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces took action against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to stop the slaughter of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Joint Effort Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Information and Coordination Behind the Missions Nigeria provided the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, before 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 always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Background of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate started when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water. Clergy and pastors have been increasingly 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 killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Violence and Statistics There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions. Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Broader American Foreign Posture This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region. Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated further strikes against Islamic State positions in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces took action against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to stop the slaughter of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Joint Effort Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Information and Coordination Behind the Missions Nigeria provided the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, before 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 always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Background of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate started when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water. Clergy and pastors have been increasingly 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 killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Violence and Statistics There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions. Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Broader American Foreign Posture This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region. Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”