The Federal Government of Nigeria has signalled that further military strikes against jihadist groups could be imminent following Christmas Day air bombardments carried out in concert with United States forces, a development that underscores deepening security cooperation amid the country’s ongoing multi-front fight against insurgency and banditry.
In a detailed report on Friday, The PUNCH highlighted official statements by Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, who affirmed that Nigeria played a key role in the planning and execution of the recent strikes. The actions, which were announced late on Christmas Day by United States authorities, targeted armed militants in north-western Nigeria and were described by U.S. President Donald Trump as “powerful and deadly” operations against Islamic State-linked fighters.
Minister Tuggar told broadcasters that Nigeria provided critical intelligence to U.S. forces before the assaults, countering public speculation that the strikes were unilateral. “It’s Nigeria that provided the intelligence,” he said, explaining that he spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of the Christmas Day strikes.
Tuggar further stressed that the security engagement was a “joint operation” and not driven by any religious motive, a clarification aimed at countering assertions that the strikes were sectarian in nature. “It must be made clear that it is a joint operation, and it is not targeting any religion nor simply in the name of one religion or the other,” he said.
Asked whether further strikes could follow, the minister responded,“It is an ongoing thing, and we are working with the U.S. We are working with other countries as well.”
Nigeria faces a complex tapestry of security challenges across its northern regions, from Islamist insurgents to loosely-affiliated armed groups and criminal “bandit” gangs that persistently raid communities and sow instability. The Christmas Day operation targeted militants in Sokoto State, in the northwest, a region not traditionally the main theatre of the long-standing Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgency that is typically concentrated in the northeast.
The U.S. Africa Command indicated that multiple suspected ISIS-linked fighters were killed in the strikes, although precise details about the targets remain unclear. U.S. defence officials published footage suggesting a nighttime launch of missiles from a naval vessel, an indication of the sophistication of the operation.
Local residents in affected areas reported being startled by the explosions, with one Sokoto resident saying, they heard a loud explosion which shook the whole town, and everyone was scared.
The joint operations unfolded against the backdrop of a diplomatic dispute between Abuja and Washington, stoked by comments from U.S. political leaders characterising the violence in Nigeria as targeting specific religious communities, an assertion strongly rejected by Nigerian authorities and independent analysts.
Within Nigeria, reactions have been mixed. Opposition figures, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), criticised the government’s handling of communications, stating that the public learned of the strikes from U.S. sources before official Nigerian channels provided confirmation. The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary remarked that this “inverted communication approach” did not serve national interests and urged clearer messaging from the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, some commentators and civic voices have called for greater scrutiny of foreign military involvement, with concerns that such cooperation could raise questions about sovereignty and long-term strategic gains for Nigeria’s own security forces.
Despite the criticism, the Federal Government maintains that structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States, represents a necessary effort to counter terrorism and violent extremism. Officials emphasise that intelligence sharing, strategic coordination, and respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty underpin the collaboration, and that the protection of civilian lives across all ethnic and religious communities remains central to counter-terrorism efforts.
As investigations and assessments continue, the indication that additional joint strikes may occur marks a significant moment in Nigeria’s evolving security partnership with foreign allies and points to sustained pressure on militant networks that have long challenged national stability.
