Nigeria Confirms It Provided Intelligence for Recent Military Strikes as US Official Predicts of Additional Operations
Nigeria's government has announced that it provided crucial intelligence in the US airstrikes conducted on Christmas Day, according to the nation's foreign minister on Friday.
Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks against Islamic State fighters in the northwestern region of Nigeria after a period of criticizing the group for attacking Christians.
Detailed Consultations Preceded the Military Action
Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had held "extensive" discussions with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately before and after the attack.
He further added that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the airstrikes. Tuggar left the door open for further strikes, describing them as an "continuous effort" that would potentially include other countries.
"This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an discussion with the BBC. "It is about targeting militants who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
US Warns of More Actions in Nigeria
Hours after the initial strikes, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned of more strikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth characterized the action as part of efforts to stop the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "The president was clear... the murder of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Airstrikes
The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by certain political allies of the ex-leader, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.
"There is no a better way to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one prominent political figure on a digital platform.
Main Takeaways from the Revelations
- Cooperation: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led airstrikes.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the strikes.
- 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 focused on combating militants, not religious affiliation.
- American Stance: A senior US defense leader has signaled additional strikes are on the horizon.
This development underscores the complex military partnership between the West African nation and the US in combating militant groups in the Sahel area.