Nigeria Confirms It Supplied Intelligence for Recent Military Strikes as US Official Warns of Additional Operations

The Nigerian foreign ministry has stated that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation conducted on December 25, as stated by the country's foreign minister on Friday.

Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes targeting Islamic State fighters in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks decrying the organization for attacking Christians.

Detailed Discussions Preceded the Military Action

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

He also noted that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include other countries.

"The strikes had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar insisted in an discussion with the BBC. "The objective is about attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians."

American Official Predicts of More Actions in Nigeria

Hours after the initial strikes, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria.

Hegseth characterized the action as part of efforts to stop the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."

Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes

The holiday military operation were met with praise by some political allies of the ex-leader, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians.

"I can’t think of a better way to observe the holiday than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one prominent political figure on a digital platform.

Key Points from the Revelations

• Cooperation: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the American operation.
• Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
• Continuous Effort: The operation is described as an "ongoing process" with potential for future actions.
• Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are solely about counter-terrorism, not religion.
• American Stance: A senior US defense leader has signaled additional strikes are on the horizon.

The situation highlights the complex military partnership between Nigeria and the United States in combating militant groups in the Sahel area.