The United States has signaled additional military action against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria, following a series of airstrikes earlier this week that drew both political and humanitarian attention. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that more operations are planned, describing them as a continuation of coordinated efforts with the Nigerian government.

Hegseth posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
"The president was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end. The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!"

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, emphasized that the airstrikes were part of “joint ongoing operations,” contradicting earlier U.S. claims that the strikes were conducted solely at American initiative. Tuggar confirmed to Channels Television that Nigeria had provided intelligence for the strikes, which targeted militant camps in Sokoto State, near the border with Niger.

“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always hoped for: to work with the Americans and other countries to combat terrorism and stop the deaths of innocent Nigerians. It’s a collaborative effort.”

According to Tuggar, coordination involved multiple high-level conversations with U.S. officials, including a 19-minute call with Senator Marco Rubio and follow-up discussions with President Bola Tinubu.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who directed the strikes in his role as Commander-in-Chief, framed the military action as a response to persistent attacks on Christians in Nigeria. Speaking to Politico, he stated:
"They were going to do it earlier, but I said, ‘nope, let’s give a Christmas present.’ Every camp got decimated."

Trump’s comments underline the religious framing of the strikes, a narrative popular with the U.S. religious right, which has long drawn attention to the plight of Christians in Nigeria. Nigeria is a secular nation with nearly equal Muslim (53%) and Christian (45%) populations. Violence affects both communities, although attacks against Christians have received heightened media coverage internationally.

Residents in the Sokoto village of Jabo reported panic and confusion as missiles hit the area. Local farmer Sanusi Madabo described the sky lighting up “almost like daytime” due to the strikes. Abubakar Sani called on the Nigerian government to protect citizens from future incidents.

Interestingly, no immediate casualties were reported. Security forces quickly cordoned off the area, leaving villagers both relieved and apprehensive about the ongoing U.S. military presence.

U.S. military aircraft reportedly conducted surveillance over north-western Nigeria earlier this month, using an airport in neighboring Ghana as a base. The Sokoto region, largely Muslim, has become a haven for Islamic State – Sahel Province militants, known locally as Lakurawa, as well as armed bandits. Analysts suggest the insurgent group originated from local herders uniting against bandits amid insufficient state protection.

These strikes follow a pattern of U.S. interventions overseas during Trump’s second term, which include military action in Yemen, Iran, and Syria, alongside a notable troop build-up in the Caribbean targeting Venezuela. Despite Trump campaigning as a “candidate of peace” in 2024, these operations highlight a continuation of American military engagement abroad.

The strikes bring renewed focus to longstanding religious and ethnic tensions in Nigeria. Clashes between predominantly Christian farming communities and Muslim herders are often framed as religious but are deeply rooted in competition for land and water resources. In recent years, priests and pastors have also been kidnapped for ransom, though experts caution this trend may be economically rather than religiously motivated.

Tuggar stressed that the Sokoto operation was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives” rather than targeting a specific faith. “It is a joint operation. It is not targeting any religion, nor is it simply in the name of one religion or another,” he stated.

Just one day prior to the Sokoto strikes, a Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured more than 30, an attack attributed to Boko Haram. While separate from the north-west conflict, the incident underscores Nigeria’s broader struggle with terrorism, including nearly 6,000 violent incidents nationwide in 2025 alone, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).

Sokoto had the fourth-highest number of attacks in the country, recording 353 violent incidents, while neighboring Katsina State led with 706. These figures highlight a deeply entrenched security crisis that affects both civilians and state stability.

Both U.S. and Nigerian officials have indicated that further military action may continue. Hegseth’s warning of “more to come” suggests a phased strategy against militant groups in north-western Nigeria, likely blending intelligence-sharing, targeted strikes, and regional cooperation.

For residents in affected areas, the uncertainty brings fear and anticipation in equal measure. While the strikes aim to curb the influence of violent extremists, the human cost and the potential for miscalculations remain pressing concerns.