US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he ordered strong military strikes against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. He described the militant group as “terrorist scum” and accused it of attacking Christians in the region.
The announcement followed earlier warnings by Trump in October and November. At that time, he said Christians in Nigeria faced an “existential threat” that amounted to “genocide.”
Trump links strikes to attacks on Christians
Trump said the US acted after militants continued killing civilians.
According to him, the strikes targeted fighters who had been “viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”.
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He also said that under his leadership, he would “not allow radical Islamic terrorism to prosper”.
Nigeria confirms cooperation with the US
Soon after, Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the strikes were carried out as part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States. This cooperation includes intelligence sharing and strategic coordination against militant groups.
In a post on X, the ministry said the operation aimed to counter the “threat of terrorism and violent extremism.”
The ministry added that violence targeting Christians, Muslims, or any other group remains “an affront” to Nigeria’s values.
US defence chief thanks Nigerian government
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also commented on the operation. In a post on X, he thanked the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation.
He said the “President was clear last month” that the killing of innocent Christians must stop.
“The Department of War is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come,” Hegseth wrote.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon released a video that appeared to show at least one projectile being launched from a warship.
Earlier warnings and Nigerian response
In a Truth Social post in November, Trump had warned of possible US military action if what he called the “slaughter” in Nigeria continued.
However, Nigerian authorities had earlier rejected Trump’s claims. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said Nigeria’s constitution protects citizens of all religions.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” the statement said. Tinubu also stressed that Nigeria remains committed to working with the US to protect people of all faiths.
Religious makeup and security challenges
Nigeria’s population is roughly divided between Muslims, who mainly live in the north, and Christians, who are largely based in the south.
While the country continues to face serious security challenges from militant groups, Nigerian officials insist that violence affects communities across religious lines and that the state remains committed to religious tolerance.