🔗 Share this article Nigeria Discloses It Furnished Key Information for US-Led Military Strikes as Defense Secretary Warns of More Attacks Nigeria's foreign ministry has confirmed that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation conducted on December 25, according to the nation's foreign minister on Friday. Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes against Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the organization for targeting Christian communities. Extensive Discussions Preceded the Military Action Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had engaged in "extensive" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the airstrike. He also noted that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include other countries. "This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is to do with attacking terrorists who have been murdering Nigerian citizens." US Warns of Further Actions in Nigeria Shortly following the initial strikes, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria. Hegseth described the strikes as part of efforts to stop the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..." Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by certain political allies of the former president, who had been agitating for a forceful response to the attacks against Christians. "There is no a better way to observe the holiday than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one prominent activist on social media. Main Takeaways from the Revelations Cooperation: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the American operation. Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action. Ongoing Process: The operation is viewed as an "continuing mission" with the possibility of future actions. Secular Objective: Nigerian officials strongly insist the strikes are focused on counter-terrorism, not religion. US Commitment: A top American official has indicated further strikes are likely. The situation highlights the evolving military partnership between Nigeria and the United States in combating terrorist threats in the Sahel area.
Nigeria's foreign ministry has confirmed that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation conducted on December 25, according to the nation's foreign minister on Friday. Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes against Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the organization for targeting Christian communities. Extensive Discussions Preceded the Military Action Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had engaged in "extensive" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the airstrike. He also noted that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include other countries. "This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is to do with attacking terrorists who have been murdering Nigerian citizens." US Warns of Further Actions in Nigeria Shortly following the initial strikes, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria. Hegseth described the strikes as part of efforts to stop the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..." Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by certain political allies of the former president, who had been agitating for a forceful response to the attacks against Christians. "There is no a better way to observe the holiday than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one prominent activist on social media. Main Takeaways from the Revelations Cooperation: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the American operation. Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action. Ongoing Process: The operation is viewed as an "continuing mission" with the possibility of future actions. Secular Objective: Nigerian officials strongly insist the strikes are focused on counter-terrorism, not religion. US Commitment: A top American official has indicated further strikes are likely. The situation highlights the evolving military partnership between Nigeria and the United States in combating terrorist threats in the Sahel area.