President Donald Trump announced military strikes against ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria on Thursday, targeting what he called “terrorist scum” responsible for ongoing attacks against Christian populations. The operation represents a fulfillment of previous administration warnings about protecting religious minorities.
The strikes followed Trump’s earlier warnings in October and November when he described the violence against Nigerian Christians as reaching genocidal proportions. The president had explicitly threatened military intervention if the attacks continued, characterizing the situation as an “existential threat” to Christian communities in the region. Those warnings translated into action on Christmas Day.
According to Trump’s statement, the Department of War executed multiple precision strikes against militants who had been systematically targeting and killing innocent Christians. The president emphasized American military superiority and his personal commitment to preventing radical Islamic terrorism from flourishing under his administration. The operation showcased what Trump described as America’s unmatched capability to conduct such strikes.
The Nigerian government confirmed its involvement through the Foreign Ministry, which described the operation as part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States. This cooperation includes intelligence sharing and strategic planning to address terrorism and violent extremism. Nigerian officials made clear that terrorist violence against any religious community, whether Christian or Muslim, violates the country’s core values.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked Nigeria for its cooperation and hinted at possible future operations, noting that the timing on Christmas was significant. The Pentagon released video footage demonstrating the strikes being conducted from naval vessels. While Nigerian President Bola Ahmed has cooperated with the operation, he has also emphasized that Nigeria’s constitution protects all religious groups and that characterizations of the country as religiously intolerant are inaccurate, affirming Nigeria’s commitment to working with the US while maintaining religious freedom for all citizens.