The United States carried out an airstrike against Daesh militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government, according to statements from US President Donald Trump and the US military. The operation was described as part of ongoing security cooperation between the two countries.
Trump said the strike targeted Daesh fighters accused of attacking civilian communities, particularly Christians, in the region. In a message posted on Truth Social, he said the action was ordered under his authority as commander in chief and described it as a decisive blow against the militant group.
US Africa Command confirmed that the strike took place in Sokoto state and resulted in the deaths of multiple Daesh militants. Nigerian authorities were said to have requested the operation as part of joint efforts to counter extremist violence.
Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the airstrikes were conducted through intelligence sharing and strategic coordination with the United States, leading to what it described as precision attacks on terrorist targets in the country’s northwest.
The strike follows repeated warnings by Trump since late October that Christian communities in Nigeria face serious threats, along with reports that the US had increased intelligence-gathering flights over large areas of the country in recent weeks.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and indicated that further actions could follow.
Nigeria’s government has maintained that militant violence affects both Muslims and Christians and has cautioned against oversimplifying the country’s complex security challenges. Officials have nevertheless expressed willingness to deepen cooperation with the US to strengthen counterterrorism efforts.
The development comes amid continued instability across Nigeria, including a deadly attack earlier on Thursday in the northeast, where police said a suspected suicide bomber killed at least five people and wounded dozens more.
In a Christmas message, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu urged peace and tolerance among Nigerians of different faiths and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting religious freedom and safeguarding all citizens from violence.
