Nigeria Discloses It Supplied Intelligence for Recent Military Strikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of Additional Attacks
The Nigerian foreign ministry has announced that it provided crucial intelligence in the US airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day, as stated by the nation's foreign minister this week.
Former President Donald Trump had announced the aerial attacks against Islamic State fighters in the northwestern region of Nigeria after spending weeks decrying the group for targeting Christians.
Extensive Discussions Preceded the Operation
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had held "extensive" discussions with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately before and after the attack.
He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the airstrikes. Tuggar left the door open for additional operations, describing them as an "continuous effort" that would also involve other countries.
"The strikes had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an discussion with the BBC. "It is to do with attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians."
American Official Predicts of Further Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of additional military actions against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians, a position reiterated by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "The president was explicit... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."
Supporters' Response to the Military Action
The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by certain supporters of the former president, who had been agitating for a forceful response to the attacks against Christians.
"I can’t think of a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one well-known activist on social media.
Key Points from the Revelations
- Cooperation: Nigeria supplied crucial information for the American airstrikes.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
- Continuous Effort: The campaign is viewed as an "continuing mission" with potential for more strikes.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are solely about counter-terrorism, not religion.
- American Stance: A senior US official has signaled further strikes are likely.
This development underscores the evolving military partnership between the West African nation and the United States in addressing terrorist threats in the Sahel area.
