Trump confirms Christmas Day airstrikes on IS targets in Nigeria

Trump confirms Christmas Day airstrikes on IS targets in Nigeria as a decisive action to combat the rising tide of global terrorism.³ President Donald Trump announced late on Thursday, 25 December 2025, that the United States military launched a “powerful and deadly strike” against the Islamic State (IS) group operating in northwestern Nigeria.⁴ In a post on his Truth Social platform, the President described the targets as “terrorist scum” and framed the military intervention as a necessary response to protect innocent lives.⁵ This operation marks a significant escalation in American involvement in West African security, signaling a shift toward direct kinetic action under the current administration’s “guns-a-blazing” foreign policy approach.

Precision Strikes in Sokoto State

Trump confirms Christmas Day airstrikes on IS targets in Nigeria, specifically noting that the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) executed “numerous perfect strikes” in the Sokoto State region.⁷ Following the President’s announcement, AFRICOM issued a statement confirming that the air operations were conducted at the request of the Nigerian government.⁸ Initial assessments from the Department of Defense indicate that multiple Islamic State militants were killed in the camps targeted during the nighttime raid.

The choice of Sokoto State as the primary theater for these strikes is noteworthy. While the northeast has traditionally been the stronghold of jihadist activity, the northwest has seen a resurgence of violent extremism and sophisticated kidnapping syndicates.¹⁰ The US Africa Command emphasized that these precision hits were intended to degrade the tactical capabilities of the Islamic State-Sahel Province (IS-Sahel), an affiliate that has been expanding its influence across the porous borders of the Sahel region.

Coordination with Nigerian Security Forces

A critical component of this mission was the Nigerian security coordination that allowed for the successful deployment of American air power.¹¹ Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar confirmed that the strikes were part of a “joint operation” that had been in the planning stages for quite some time.¹² According to Tuggar, the operation relied heavily on intelligence provided by the Nigerian side to ensure the hits were accurate and minimized civilian risk.

“The country’s authorities remain engaged in structured security co-operation with international partners,” a statement from the Nigerian Foreign Ministry read on Friday morning.¹⁴ Minister Tuggar was careful to clarify that the operation was focused on “terrorists” generally and had nothing to do with any particular religion, a slight departure from the specific religious narrative emphasized by the White House.

Comparing Security Assessments

Religious Persecution and the CPC Designation

The news that Trump confirms Christmas Day airstrikes on IS targets in Nigeria is inseparable from the diplomatic pressure applied by Washington over the past several months. In October 2025, the U.S. government officially designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).¹⁵ This designation is reserved for nations that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that an “existential threat” is posed to Nigeria’s Christian population, often using the term “genocide” to describe the clashes in the Middle Belt and the North West.¹⁷ He argued that the U.S. would not allow “Radical Islamic Terrorism” to prosper under his leadership.¹⁸ However, groups such as ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) have noted that while Christians are indeed victims, the majority of those killed by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been Muslims.

Tactical Context: Syria and the Global Fight

The strikes in Nigeria did not occur in a vacuum. Just one week prior, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out a “massive strike” against Islamic State targets in central Syria, hitting over 70 locations. By ensuring that Trump confirms Christmas Day airstrikes on IS targets in Nigeria, the administration is signaling a synchronized global offensive against jihadist remnants during the holiday season.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed this sentiment on X, stating he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation” and simply adding: “More to come… Merry Christmas!” The Pentagon later released unclassified footage showing a missile launch from a naval vessel, serving as a visual deterrent to extremist groups operating across the continent.

Addressing the Misinformation Challenge

The narrative of “Christian persecution” has become a central theme in right-wing U.S. politics.²¹ While church leaders in states like Plateau and Benue have welcomed the U.S. attention, President Bola Tinubu has insisted on the country’s religious tolerance.²² Tinubu’s administration maintains that the conflict is driven by competition for resources—such as water and pasture—rather than a coordinated religious war.

Future of the US-Nigeria Partnership

The fact that Trump confirms Christmas Day airstrikes on IS targets in Nigeria suggests that more military interventions may be on the horizon. Minister Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, noting that future actions depend on decisions made by the top leadership of both nations. For Nigeria, the challenge lies in balancing the need for advanced U.S. intelligence and air power with the maintenance of national sovereignty.

President Tinubu recently declared a nationwide security emergency and announced the recruitment of 50,000 additional police officers.²³ These domestic efforts, paired with the “precision hits” from the U.S., aim to dismantle the jihadist infrastructure that has destabilized West Africa for over a decade.

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Conclusion

As the world processes the news that Trump confirms Christmas Day airstrikes on IS targets in Nigeria, the focus remains on the humanitarian impact in the Sokoto State. While the U.S. celebrates a “perfect” military execution, the people of Nigeria hope these strikes lead to a lasting peace rather than an escalation of sectarian tensions. The 2025 Christmas strikes will likely go down as a defining moment in the modern U.S.-Africa security relationship, one where the line between domestic religious politics and global counter-terrorism becomes increasingly blurred.

Mainstream Media References

• CBC News

  • Title: U.S. launches ‘powerful and deadly’ airstrikes in northwest Nigeria

  • Link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-nigeria-airstrike-christmas-day-9.7028229

• The Washington Post

  • Title: U.S. strikes ISIS in Nigeria after Trump warnings on Christian killings

  • Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/12/25/trump-bombing-nigeria-isis/

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