Further Military Operations Expected After US-Nigeria Airstrikes Target Jihadist Groups
- Nigeria allegedly conducted a joint airstrike with the US against jihadist groups in the North West region
- Further military operations are likely to follow as Nigeria strengthens its cooperation with the US
- Nigerian authorities emphasised the ongoing security collaboration with Washington
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Getty Images
LAGOS - Nigeria has indicated that further military strikes against jihadist groups could follow a Christmas Day operation carried out with the United States in the country’s northwest.
Airstrikes a joint operation
According to EWN, Nigerian authorities said the airstrikes were a joint operation. A Pentagon official said the Nigerian government had approved the strikes, although it was not confirmed whether Nigerian forces were directly involved. US President Donald Trump described the operation as a surprise attack that severely weakened militant camps. Nigerian officials emphasised that the strikes were not targeted at any specific religious group and were part of ongoing security cooperation between Abuja and Washington.
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Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said coordination with the US was continuing and suggested that similar operations could take place in future. Information Minister Mohammed Idris said the strikes were carried out using guided munitions launched from MQ-9 Reaper drones and successfully disrupted militant movements linked to Islamic State elements operating through the Sahel. The attack comes as Nigeria continues to face multiple security threats, including a long-running jihadist insurgency in the northeast and growing violence from armed groups in the northwest. While authorities said the strikes targeted Islamic State-linked militants, some residents in Sokoto reported being shocked by the explosions, noting that not all affected areas were previously known as militant strongholds.
Source: Getty Images
Working closely with Washington
Analysts said armed groups in northwestern Nigeria have increasingly shown links to regional jihadist networks, although the extent of those connections remains contested. Public reaction to the strikes appeared divided, but Nigerian authorities openly endorsed the operation. Analysts noted that the government was eager to project cooperation with the United States, regardless of domestic sensitivities.
Abuja-based researcher Malik Samuel of Good Governance Africa suggested that Nigeria was unlikely to have rejected the operation, adding that authorities were keen to be seen working closely with Washington, even though violence in the northwest largely affects Muslim communities. Security analyst Brant Philip said the immediate impact of the strikes seemed limited, but indicated that more substantial developments were expected in the near future.
USA carries out air strikes in Nigeria
Briefly News previously reported that the United States President Donald Trump ordered a military airstrike in northwest Nigeria against Islamic State targets.
ISIS has been accused of systematically targeting Christians in the region after thousands of Christians were killed. Donald Trump said that the airstrike was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government, and netizens weighed in on the attack. The White House said that the attack was carried out in Sokoto state and coordinated with the Nigerian government.
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Source: Briefly News
