A United States congressman has claimed that recent airstrikes by the United States (U.S.) against Islamist militants in Nigeria aimed to prevent the mass casualty attacks normally recorded during the Christmas season, a statement echoed by both U.S. and Nigerian officials following coordinated military action late in December 2025.
In a social media post on X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend, Riley Moore attributed the absence of large-scale attacks on Christian communities this year to the US military operation, contrasting it with deadly violence seen during previous festive seasons.
“For the past two Christmases, Christians have been murdered in Nigeria. This year, thanks to @POTUS, Radical Islamic Terrorists were on the receiving end of 12 Tomahawk missiles as a present,” Moore wrote.
“The successful strikes on ISIS, in coordination with the Nigerian government, are just the first step to secure the country and end the slaughter of our brothers and sisters in Christ.”
The U.S. congressman’s comments came days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out airstrikes targeting Islamic State affiliates in Sokoto State’s Bauni Forest axis, an area identified by intelligence sources as a staging ground for militants planning large-scale attacks within Nigeria.
According to Trump’s statement on the social platform Truth Social, the actions were “numerous perfect strikes” against militants operating alongside local extremist groups. The president also issued a warning that future operations could follow “if the militants continued killing Christians.”
Following the announcements, the Federal Government of Nigeria acknowledged that it had authorised the joint operation, confirming that precision strikes were carried out with the full involvement of the Nigerian Armed Forces and under the oversight of senior military and ministerial officials.
In a statement attributed to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, government sources said that intelligence revealed the presence of foreign ISIS fighters infiltrating Nigeria from the Sahel region and operating camps used to plan attacks across the country.
“Intelligence confirmed that these locations were being used as assembly and staging grounds by foreign ISIS elements… following explicit approval by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu.”
The operation, conducted in the early hours of Friday, December 26, 2025, reportedly involved the deployment of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions from U.S. sea-based platforms and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial systems, successfully neutralising the targeted IS cells.
Government communications also addressed reports that remnants of expended munitions had fallen in Jabo, Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State, near a hotel site, incidents that caused alarm locally but were described as debris from the precision strikes, rather than new explosions or attacks. Officials stated that no civilian casualties were recorded and that authorities swiftly secured the affected areas.
The contrasting messages from U.S. and Nigerian leaders underscore a shared narrative of enhanced cooperation against terrorism, particularly in light of years of attacks on religious and civilian targets during festive seasons. Moore’s remarks underscore political support within the U.S. for continued joint security engagements, while Abuja’s confirmations stress sovereign approval and operational involvement by Nigerian forces.
As Nigeria shifts into the new year, officials from both countries have indicated that security operations will continue, aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and preventing further planned attacks.
