US Conducts Airstrikes on Islamic State Militants in Northwest Nigeria, Trump Says

The United States carried out air strike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria on Thursday, targeting groups accused of attacking Christian communities, President Donald Trump announced. 

The strikes come after weeks of Trump condemning the militant group’s violence and follow a Christmas Eve suicide bombing in northeast Nigeria.

In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, “At my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians… tonight, there was hell to pay.” He added that the Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes.

The US Africa Command confirmed the strikes took place in Sokoto state, in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

Earlier statements indicated the strikes were carried out at the request of the Nigerian government, but the initial announcement was later removed.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth praised Nigerian support, emphasizing strategic cooperation and intelligence sharing in targeting militant groups.

Sokoto’s forests have long been used as bases by armed bandits and the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), locally known as ‘Lakurawa’.

Analysts note that the ISSP in the state originally formed as a herders’ group protecting themselves from bandit attacks amid weak state support.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry stated the strikes were part of ongoing security cooperation with the US, which included precision targeting of terrorist sites in the northwest. Earlier in December, US surveillance planes flew over the region, reportedly using a base in Ghana.

Trump, who campaigned in 2024 as the “candidate of peace,” has promised strong US intervention in Nigeria, accusing the country’s government of failing to protect Christians from Islamist attacks.

Nigeria, a secular country with roughly 53% Muslim and 45% Christian populations, faces violence against both religious communities, though Trump and supporters have framed attacks largely as persecution of Christians.

Experts warn that Nigeria’s security situation is complex, with long-standing disputes over land and resources between itinerant herders and farming communities, often exacerbated by ethnic and religious tensions. Recent kidnappings of priests and pastors may reflect criminal motives rather than targeted religious persecution.

The strikes follow a Christmas Eve bombing in Borno state, northeast Nigeria, that killed at least five people and injured over 30, attributed to Boko Haram, which has waged an insurgency in the region for nearly two decades.

Trump’s first year back in the White House has been marked by multiple overseas interventions, including strikes in Yemen, Iran, and Syria, alongside a military buildup in the Caribbean.

Analysts note that while Trump campaigned on ending “endless wars,” his administration has actively engaged in targeted strikes to address security threats abroad.

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