Nigeria Confirms It Furnished Intelligence for Recent Airstrikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of Additional Operations
The Nigerian foreign ministry has confirmed that it played a role in the American military operation conducted on December 25, as stated by the nation's foreign minister this week.
Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes targeting ISIS militants in north-west Nigeria after a period of decrying the group for attacking Christians.
Detailed Consultations Came Before the Military Action
Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had engaged in "lengthy" discussions with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio both prior to and following the attack.
He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include other countries.
"The strikes had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar insisted in an discussion with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."
American Official Predicts of More Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth cautioned of more strikes against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians, a stance echoed by the former president. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Military Action
The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by some political allies of the ex-leader, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians.
"I can’t think of a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," commented one prominent activist on social media.
Key Points from the Revelations
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led operation.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
- Ongoing Process: The campaign is described as an "continuing mission" with potential for future actions.
- Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are focused on counter-terrorism, not religion.
- American Stance: A senior US official has signaled further military actions are on the horizon.
This development highlights the complex security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in addressing militant groups in the Sahel area.
