Nigeria said the operation was coordinated and based on shared intelligence.
WASHINGTON, DC — President Donald Trump said the United States launched airstrikes in northwest Nigeria on Christmas night, saying the target was Islamic State fighters he accused of killing civilians. U.S. and Nigerian officials said the operation was carried out with Nigerian approval and coordination.
The strikes put a sudden spotlight on Washington’s expanding counterterrorism posture in West Africa and on Trump’s repeated claims that Christians in Nigeria face escalating attacks. Nigerian officials, while confirming cooperation, have rejected framing the violence as a single-faith campaign and say militant threats have hit many communities across the country.
Trump announced the operation late Thursday in a post on his Truth Social platform, describing a “powerful and deadly” strike against what he called “ISIS Terrorist Scum” in northwest Nigeria. He said the militants had “targeted and viciously” killed “primarily, innocent Christians,” and suggested the attack was meant as a warning that further U.S. action could follow. A U.S. defense official said the strike hit multiple Islamic State-linked camps in Sokoto state and was conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, with Nigerian authorities approving the action.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar said the strike was a joint effort that relied on shared intelligence and security cooperation. Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said the operation respected Nigeria’s sovereignty and followed international law, casting it as part of a broader counterterrorism push rather than a religion-based intervention. U.S. officials did not release an immediate public estimate of casualties or identify the aircraft and munitions used, and they said a damage assessment was continuing. In Sokoto and nearby areas, residents reported hearing blasts overnight, while Nigerian officials urged calm as military and local authorities reviewed what had been hit and whether any civilians were harmed.
The target area sits in Nigeria’s northwest, where armed groups have expanded in recent years, mixing banditry with insurgent activity and exploiting remote terrain and weak policing. U.S. and regional officials have linked some violence there to an Islamic State-aligned faction that has operated in the broader Sahel. Analysts and Nigerian officials have pointed to a lesser-known Islamic State-linked group sometimes called Lakurawa as one of the militant threats in the region, alongside criminal gangs that raid villages, kidnap for ransom and attack security posts. The violence Nigeria faces is not limited to the northwest, with the Boko Haram insurgency still active in the northeast and other conflicts driven by land disputes, ethnic tensions and local politics.
Trump’s comments followed weeks of heightened rhetoric from Washington about Nigeria and religious freedom. In recent remarks, Trump accused Nigeria’s leaders of failing to protect Christians and said he had asked the Pentagon for options. U.S. policy actions in recent months have included diplomatic pressure tied to religious freedom concerns, even as Nigeria’s government has argued that extremist and criminal attacks have killed both Christians and Muslims. Nigerian officials said the security partnership with the United States includes intelligence sharing and precision targeting support, and they said the goal is to disrupt militant networks that threaten communities regardless of faith. Still, Trump’s language has fueled debate about whether U.S. policy is being shaped by a narrower narrative than the complex pattern of violence on the ground.
For now, both governments are presenting the operation as lawful and coordinated, but key procedural questions remain. U.S. officials have not said whether additional strikes are planned, how long the operation was in preparation, or whether U.S. forces will expand surveillance flights in the region. Nigerian officials said further joint action is possible if intelligence indicates imminent threats, while emphasizing that Nigeria retains control over operations conducted on its territory. In Washington, the Pentagon is expected to brief lawmakers and the public as assessments are completed, including whether any civilians were affected and which militant units were struck. Nigerian authorities said they will continue to share information with partners while pursuing local investigations into militant attacks and improving security in vulnerable rural areas.
On Friday, the announcement reverberated across a country that has endured years of attacks on communities, houses of worship and travelers on major roads. In the northeast, Nigeria has faced repeated assaults tied to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, including bombings and raids that have hit markets, mosques and churches. In the northwest, residents have described a different kind of fear, with militants and armed gangs appearing with little warning and disappearing into forests and borderlands. “This is about protecting Nigerians, all Nigerians,” Tuggar said in public comments about the cooperation, while U.S. officials said the aim was to disrupt militants responsible for recent killings and to reduce the risk of future attacks.
As of Friday evening, U.S. and Nigerian officials said they were still evaluating the results of the Christmas night strikes, including how many fighters were killed and what equipment or camps were destroyed. The next public milestone is expected to be updated briefings from Nigeria’s government and the U.S. Defense Department as damage assessments are finalized and both sides decide whether additional joint operations are needed.
Author note: Last updated Dec. 26, 2025.