The Nigerian Government Discloses It Furnished Intelligence for Recent Military Strikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of More Attacks

The Nigerian government has announced that it played a role in the American military operation carried out on Christmas Day, as stated by the nation's foreign minister on Friday.

Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks targeting Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the organization for targeting Christians.

Extensive Discussions Came Before the Operation

Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had engaged in "extensive" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both prior to and following the airstrike.

He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the airstrikes. Tuggar left the door open for additional operations, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would also involve international partners.

"This operation had nothing to do with a particular religion," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is to do with attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians."

US Warns of More Actions in Nigeria

Shortly following the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief 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 stance echoed by the ex-commander in chief. In a public statement, Hegseth stated, "He was clear... the murder of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."

Political Reaction to the Airstrikes

The holiday military operation were hailed by some supporters 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 celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one prominent political figure on a digital platform.

Main Takeaways from the Revelations

• Cooperation: Nigeria supplied crucial information for the US-led airstrikes.
• High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the military action.
• Ongoing Process: The operation is viewed as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of future actions.
• Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are solely about combating militants, not religion.
• American Stance: A senior US official has signaled further military actions are likely.

This development underscores the evolving security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in addressing terrorist threats in the Sahel area.