Nigeria Confirms It Provided Key Information for Christmas Day Airstrikes as US Official Predicts of More Attacks
The Nigerian foreign ministry has confirmed that it provided crucial intelligence in the US airstrikes carried out on December 25, as stated by the nation's foreign minister on Friday.
Ex-President Donald Trump had announced the aerial attacks against ISIS militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the organization for targeting Christian communities.
Detailed Discussions Preceded the Operation
Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had held "lengthy" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately before and after the airstrike.
He further added that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would potentially include international partners.
"This operation had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar emphasized in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is about attacking terrorists who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
US Warns of More Strikes in Nigeria
Shortly following the initial strikes, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth cautioned of more strikes against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth characterized the action as part of efforts to halt the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "The president was explicit... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes
The holiday military operation were met with praise by certain supporters of the former president, who had been agitating for a forceful response to the attacks against Christians.
"There is no a better way to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one prominent political figure on a digital platform.
Key Points from the Revelations
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria actively provided crucial information for the American airstrikes.
- Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the strikes.
- Ongoing Process: The campaign is described as an "ongoing process" with potential for more strikes.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are solely about counter-terrorism, not religion.
- US Commitment: A senior US defense leader has indicated further strikes are on the horizon.
This development highlights the evolving security cooperation between Nigeria and the US in addressing militant groups in the region.
