Nigeria Confirms It Supplied Key Information for Christmas Day Military Strikes as US Official Warns of Additional Attacks

Nigeria's government has confirmed that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation conducted on December 25, as stated by the nation's foreign minister on Friday.

Former President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes against ISIS fighters in the northwestern region of Nigeria after a period of criticizing the group for targeting Christian communities.

Extensive Consultations Preceded the Military Action

Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had held "extensive" discussions with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio both before and after the airstrike.

He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the military action. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include international partners.

"The strikes had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "It is about targeting militants who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."

US Warns of Further Actions in Nigeria

Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth cautioned of additional military actions against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria.

Hegseth characterized the action as part of efforts to halt the killing of Christians, a position reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a public statement, Hegseth stated, "The president was explicit... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."

Political Reaction to the Military Action

The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by certain political allies of the former president, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.

"There is no a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one well-known political figure on social media.

Main Takeaways from the Revelations

• Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the American operation.
• Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the military action.
• Ongoing Process: The operation is viewed as an "ongoing process" with potential for future actions.
• Secular Objective: Nigerian officials strongly insist the strikes are solely about counter-terrorism, not religious affiliation.
• American Stance: A top American defense leader has signaled additional military actions are on the horizon.

This development underscores the evolving security cooperation between the West African nation and the United States in addressing militant groups in the region.