The United States carried out a targeted strike against militants affiliated with the Islamic State in north-west Nigeria, an operation confirmed by both Washington and Nigerian authorities. The strike was conducted in Sokoto State as part of bilateral security cooperation based on intelligence sharing and joint planning.
According to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), the operation targeted several known Islamic State camps and resulted in the deaths of multiple fighters. Footage released by the Pentagon shows at least one projectile fired from a warship, confirming the military and highly targeted nature of the strike.
A long-prepared joint operation
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, said the intervention was a joint operation, planned some time in advance and based on intelligence provided by Nigerian services. He stressed that the action was not directed against any particular religious community, but against groups designated as terrorist organisations.
Nigerian authorities also indicated that further strikes could not be ruled out, noting that next steps would depend on joint decisions taken by the leadership of both countries.
A sensitive security and political context
The strike comes amid a tense diplomatic climate. In late October, former US president Donald Trump publicly claimed that Christianity was facing an “existential threat” in Nigeria, going so far as to suggest possible US military intervention in response to what he described as the Nigerian authorities’ failure to curb violence against certain communities.
In this context, Reuters reported that since late November the United States has been conducting surveillance and intelligence-gathering flights over large areas of Nigerian territory, signalling heightened monitoring of the security situation.
Security cooperation openly acknowledged by Abuja
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the strike formed part of ongoing security cooperation with Washington, aimed at weakening terrorist networks, disrupting their logistical capabilities and containing cross-border threats.
Abuja reiterated that the fight against violent extremism is intended to protect all civilian populations, without religious or ethnic distinction, in a country long affected by persistent violence impacting both Christian and Muslim communities alike.
