Nigeria Discloses It Provided Key Information for Recent Airstrikes as US Official Warns of More Operations

Nigeria's government has stated that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation carried out on December 25, according to the nation's foreign minister on Friday.

Former President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes targeting ISIS militants in the northwestern region of Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the group for attacking Christians.

Extensive Consultations Preceded the Operation

Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had held "extensive" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both before and after the attack.

He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the military action. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, describing them as an "continuous effort" that would potentially include other countries.

"This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is about attacking terrorists who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."

US Warns of Further Strikes in Nigeria

Hours after the initial strikes, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth cautioned of more strikes against Islamic State targets in the region.

Hegseth characterized the action as part of efforts to stop the targeting of Christian individuals, a position echoed by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "He was explicit... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. 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 strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.

"There is no a more fitting manner to observe the holiday than by avenging the death of Christians," posted one well-known political figure on social media.

Main Takeaways from the Revelations

• Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria actively provided crucial information for the American operation.
• High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the strikes.
• Continuous Effort: The operation is described as an "ongoing process" with potential for more strikes.
• Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are focused on counter-terrorism, not religious affiliation.
• American Stance: A senior US defense leader has indicated additional strikes are on the horizon.

This development underscores the evolving military partnership between Nigeria and the US in addressing militant groups in the Sahel area.