Nigeria Discloses It Furnished Key Information for US-Led Military Strikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of More Attacks
Nigeria's government has announced that it provided crucial intelligence in the US airstrikes conducted on December 25, as stated by the country's foreign minister on Friday.
Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes against ISIS militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks decrying the organization for targeting Christians.
Extensive Discussions Preceded the Operation
Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had held "lengthy" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both before and after the airstrike.
He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the military action. Tuggar left the door open for further strikes, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would also involve other countries.
"The strikes had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar insisted in an discussion with the BBC. "The objective is about targeting militants who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
US Warns of More Actions in Nigeria
Shortly following the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned of more strikes against Islamic State targets in the region.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of efforts to halt the killing of Christians, a position echoed by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "The president was explicit... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."
Supporters' Response to the Military Action
The Christmas Day strikes were hailed by certain supporters of the ex-leader, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians.
"I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," commented one well-known activist on social media.
Main Takeaways from the Revelations
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led operation.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
- Continuous Effort: The operation is viewed as an "ongoing process" with potential for future actions.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are focused on counter-terrorism, not religious affiliation.
- American Stance: A top American official has indicated further strikes are likely.
The situation highlights the evolving security cooperation between the West African nation and the US in combating militant groups in the region.
