US launches airstrikes in North West Nigeria after surveillance flights, citing protection of Christians

*Operation carried out at request of Nigerian government, Washington says

However, Nigeria’s government has pushed back against claims that the conflict amounts to a targeted Christian genocide.

The United States has carried out airstrikes in North West Nigeria following weeks of intelligence-gathering flights, marking a significant escalation in US involvement in Nigeria’s security crisis. Washington said the operation targeted Islamic State-linked militants and was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government.

In a statement on Thursday, December 25, 2025, former US President Donald Trump said the strikes were aimed at militants he claimed had been targeting Christian communities in the region.

“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorists in northwest Nigeria,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, describing the group as responsible for killing “primarily innocent Christians.”

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that the strike took place in Sokoto State and said it was coordinated with Nigerian authorities. The command said multiple militants were killed. An earlier AFRICOM statement noted that the operation was conducted at Nigeria’s request, though that reference was later removed, according to agency reports.

Reuters had reported earlier this week that the United States had been conducting surveillance and intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November 2025.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed the strike, describing it as part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States. In a post on X, the ministry said the collaboration involved intelligence sharing and strategic coordination that had led to “precision hits on terrorist targets in the North West.”

The operation follows repeated warnings by Trump since October that Christians in Nigeria face what he described as an “existential threat,” and his threat of possible US military intervention if the violence continued.

However, Nigeria’s government has pushed back against claims that the conflict amounts to a targeted Christian genocide. Officials have stressed that armed groups attack both Muslims and Christians and that the violence reflects a complex security challenge rather than religious persecution alone. Despite this, Abuja has agreed to deepen cooperation with Washington to strengthen efforts against militant groups.

The issue has sparked debate within Nigeria. Some Muslim leaders and community members argue that Muslims have suffered the majority of casualties from terrorism and banditry, and warn that framing the violence solely as anti-Christian misrepresents the situation and risks deepening religious tensions.

Others maintain that any external support capable of weakening extremist groups is welcome, noting that neither Islam nor Christianity condones violence against civilians.

International affairs analysts have also expressed concern about Western involvement, warning against what they describe as contradictions in US counterterrorism policy, particularly given past US engagement with militant groups in the Middle East.

Nigeria’s population is broadly divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a largely Christian south, though religious communities are interspersed across regions. Security challenges affect multiple parts of the country, including the North East, North West and Central regions.

On Thursday, Nigerian police reported that a suspected suicide bomber killed at least five Muslim worshippers and injured 35 others during evening prayers at a mosque in the North East, underscoring the continuing threat posed by extremist violence.

In a Christmas message, President Bola Tinubu called for peace and religious tolerance, saying his administration remained committed to protecting all Nigerians regardless of faith.

“I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence,” Tinubu said.

Trump announced the Nigeria strike on Christmas Day from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The US military last week also carried out large-scale strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria following a suspected attack on US personnel, according to Reuters.