Nigeria Discloses It Furnished Intelligence for Christmas Day Airstrikes as US Official Warns of Additional Attacks

Nigeria's government has announced that it played a role in the American military operation carried out on December 25, as stated by the country's foreign minister on Friday.

Ex-President Donald Trump had announced the strikes against ISIS fighters in north-west Nigeria after a period of decrying the group for attacking Christians.

Extensive Discussions Preceded the Military Action

Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had held "extensive" discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both prior to and following the attack.

He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the military action. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include international partners.

"The strikes had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar emphasized in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."

American Official Predicts of More Actions in Nigeria

Shortly following the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.

Hegseth described the strikes as part of efforts to stop the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "The president was explicit... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."

Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes

The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by some supporters of the former president, who had been calling for a forceful response to the attacks against Christians.

"There is no a better way to observe the holiday than by avenging the death of Christians," commented one well-known activist on social media.

Main Takeaways from the Revelations

• Cooperation: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the American airstrikes.
• Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
• Ongoing Process: The operation is viewed as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of more strikes.
• Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are focused on counter-terrorism, not religion.
• American Stance: A senior US defense leader has indicated further strikes are on the horizon.

This development highlights the evolving military partnership between the West African nation and the US in addressing terrorist threats in the Sahel area.