President Donald Trump has stated that United States forces carried out what he described as a highly effective military operation against Islamic State (IS) militants in north-western Nigeria. According to the US president, the strike targeted members of the armed group operating in the region.
In public remarks, Trump characterised IS as a terrorist organisation responsible for the killing of civilians, asserting that its victims were largely Christians. He said US forces conducted multiple precision strikes, which he described as successful. The US Africa Command (Africom) later confirmed that the operation took place on Thursday in Nigeria’s Sokoto State and was conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, told the BBC that the action was a joint military effort against armed militants and stressed that it was not motivated by religious considerations. He said future operations could not be ruled out, noting that any further action would depend on decisions taken by the leadership of both countries.
In a message posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump reiterated his administration’s position that the United States would not allow extremist Islamist groups to gain ground. He had previously instructed the US military, in November, to prepare for possible operations in Nigeria aimed at confronting Islamist insurgent groups, although he did not specify particular incidents at the time.
Trump’s comments have come amid claims circulating in some US political circles that Christians in Nigeria are facing targeted mass violence. However, organisations that monitor conflict and human rights say there is no evidence that Christians are being killed at higher rates than Muslims in the country, which has a population roughly evenly divided between the two faiths.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also confirmed American involvement in the operation, expressing appreciation for cooperation from the Nigerian government in a message posted on social media.
Nigerian officials have consistently maintained that militant violence in the country does not single out one religious group. Daniel Bwala, an adviser to President Bola Tinubu, previously told the BBC that Nigeria supported coordinated international assistance against jihadist groups, while emphasising Nigeria’s sovereignty. He said armed groups had attacked civilians regardless of religion.
President Tinubu has repeatedly said that Nigeria remains religiously tolerant and that insecurity affects communities across different regions and faiths.
Earlier, Trump announced that Nigeria had been designated a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States, citing what he described as a serious threat to Christians. He claimed that thousands had been killed but did not provide supporting evidence. The designation is used by the US State Department to identify countries accused of severe violations of religious freedom and can lead to sanctions.
Following that announcement, Tinubu said Nigeria was committed to working with the United States and international partners to protect citizens of all religious backgrounds.
Armed groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have carried out insurgent campaigns in north-eastern Nigeria for more than a decade, resulting in thousands of deaths. Data from conflict monitoring organisation ACLED indicates that the majority of those killed in this violence have been Muslims.
In central Nigeria, recurrent clashes between herders, who are predominantly Muslim, and farming communities, often Christian, have also led to significant loss of life. These conflicts, largely driven by competition over land and water, have involved cycles of retaliatory attacks, with abuses reported on all sides.
Human rights groups and conflict analysts continue to state that there is no credible evidence showing that Christians are being disproportionately targeted nationwide.
