THE United States launched a military strike against Islamic State militants in Sokoto state, northwest Nigeria, on Thursday, following requests from the Nigerian authorities, according to statements from the U.S. military and President Donald Trump.
The operation comes amid rising concerns over violence against Christians in the region and ongoing Islamist insurgencies.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries,” Reuters reported Trump saying in a post on Truth Social, framing the intervention as a protective measure for religious communities.
The U.S. Africa Command confirmed that the strike successfully killed multiple militants at known ISIS encampments in Sokoto state. A Pentagon video showed at least one projectile launched from a warship. The operation is part of broader security cooperation between the United States and Nigeria, which involves intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to combat militant groups.
Nigeria’s foreign ministry described the airstrike as part of ongoing efforts to bolster national security.
“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West,” the ministry stated on social media platform X. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation, adding, “More to come...”
The strike occurs against a backdrop of longstanding concerns over religious violence in Nigeria, where armed groups target both Muslims and Christians.
The nation’s population is roughly divided between predominantly Muslim northern states and predominantly Christian southern regions.
Nigerian authorities emphasised that the U.S. claims regarding Christian persecution do not fully capture the complex security environment, but Abuja has agreed to collaborate with Washington in counterterrorism operations.
Earlier on Thursday, a suspected suicide bomber killed at least five people and injured 35 in Nigeria’s northeast, another region affected by Islamist insurgency.
In a Christmas message posted on X, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for peace across religious divides, pledging: “I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence.”
The U.S. military had previously launched separate strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria last week, following threats against American personnel.
Trump announced Thursday’s Nigerian strike from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, where he has been spending the holiday season.
The intervention highlights both the strategic cooperation between the United States and Nigeria in counterterrorism and the sensitive dynamics of religiously charged violence in the region. - December 26, 2025
