Nigeria Confirms It Supplied Intelligence for Christmas Day Military Strikes as US Official Predicts of More Operations

Nigeria's foreign ministry has announced that it played a role in the American military operation carried out on Christmas Day, as stated by the country's foreign minister this week.

Former President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes against ISIS militants in the northwestern region of Nigeria after a period of decrying the organization for attacking Christian communities.

Detailed Discussions Came Before the Military Action

Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had engaged in "extensive" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the attack.

He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would also involve international partners.

"This operation had nothing to do with a particular religion," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "It is about targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."

American Official Predicts of Further Actions in Nigeria

Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in the region.

Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to stop the targeting of Christian individuals, a stance echoed by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "The president was explicit... the murder of Christian civilians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."

Political Reaction to the Airstrikes

The Christmas Day strikes were hailed by certain political allies of the former president, who had been agitating for a forceful response to the violence against Christians.

"There is no a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one well-known activist on a digital platform.

Main Takeaways from the Revelations

• Cooperation: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the American airstrikes.
• Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the military action.
• Continuous Effort: The operation is viewed as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of more strikes.
• Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are focused on combating militants, not religious affiliation.
• US Commitment: A senior US official has indicated additional military actions are likely.

This development underscores the complex security cooperation between the West African nation and the United States in addressing militant groups in the Sahel area.