🔗 Share this article Nigeria Discloses It Provided Intelligence for US-Led Military Strikes as Defense Secretary Warns of More Attacks The Nigerian government 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. Former President Donald Trump had announced the strikes targeting ISIS fighters in north-west Nigeria after a period of criticizing the organization for targeting Christians. Extensive Discussions Preceded the Operation Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had held "lengthy" discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately before and after the airstrike. He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the military action. Tuggar left the door open for additional operations, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include international partners. "This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an interview with the BBC. "It is about attacking terrorists who have been murdering Nigerian citizens." US Warns of More Actions in Nigeria Hours after the initial strikes, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria. Hegseth characterized the action as part of a mission to stop the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "The president was explicit... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..." Political Reaction to the Airstrikes The Christmas Day strikes were hailed by certain supporters of the ex-leader, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians. "I can’t think of a more fitting manner to observe the holiday than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one prominent activist on a digital platform. Main Takeaways from the Revelations Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led operation. Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action. Ongoing Process: The campaign is viewed as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of future actions. Secular Objective: Nigerian officials strongly insist the targeting are solely about combating militants, not religion. US Commitment: A senior US defense leader has signaled additional strikes are likely. This development underscores the evolving military partnership between the West African nation and the United States in addressing terrorist threats in the region.
The Nigerian government 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. Former President Donald Trump had announced the strikes targeting ISIS fighters in north-west Nigeria after a period of criticizing the organization for targeting Christians. Extensive Discussions Preceded the Operation Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had held "lengthy" discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately before and after the airstrike. He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the military action. Tuggar left the door open for additional operations, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include international partners. "This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an interview with the BBC. "It is about attacking terrorists who have been murdering Nigerian citizens." US Warns of More Actions in Nigeria Hours after the initial strikes, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria. Hegseth characterized the action as part of a mission to stop the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "The president was explicit... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..." Political Reaction to the Airstrikes The Christmas Day strikes were hailed by certain supporters of the ex-leader, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians. "I can’t think of a more fitting manner to observe the holiday than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one prominent activist on a digital platform. Main Takeaways from the Revelations Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led operation. Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action. Ongoing Process: The campaign is viewed as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of future actions. Secular Objective: Nigerian officials strongly insist the targeting are solely about combating militants, not religion. US Commitment: A senior US defense leader has signaled additional strikes are likely. This development underscores the evolving military partnership between the West African nation and the United States in addressing terrorist threats in the region.