Nigeria Confirms It Supplied Intelligence for Recent Airstrikes as US Official Warns of Additional Attacks

The Nigerian foreign ministry has confirmed that it played a role in the US airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day, according to the country's foreign minister on Friday.

Former President Donald Trump had announced the strikes against Islamic State fighters in the northwestern region of Nigeria after a period of criticizing the organization for targeting Christian communities.

Detailed Consultations Came Before the Operation

Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had engaged in "extensive" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the attack.

He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had given the "go-ahead" for the military action. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would also involve other countries.

"This operation had no connection to a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "It is to do with 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 additional military actions against Islamic State targets in the region.

Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to stop the killing of Christians, a position echoed by the ex-commander in chief. In a public statement, Hegseth stated, "He was explicit... the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."

Political Reaction to the Military Action

The holiday military operation were hailed by certain supporters of the ex-leader, who had been calling for a forceful response to the violence against Christians.

"I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one prominent activist on social media.

Main Takeaways from the Revelations

• Cooperation: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the US-led operation.
• Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the military action.
• Continuous Effort: The operation is described as an "ongoing process" with potential for future actions.
• Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are focused on combating militants, not religion.
• US Commitment: A top American defense leader has indicated further strikes are on the horizon.

This development highlights the complex security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in addressing terrorist threats in the region.