Nigeria Confirms US Airstrikes in Northwest. Lagos, Nigeria — Nigeria’s government has confirmed the occurrence of US airstrike operations in the country’s northwest on Christmas evening, a development that marks an unusual foreign military intervention on Nigerian soil.
The strikes, which were authorized by the Nigerian government, followed recent criticism from the United States regarding Nigeria’s management of attacks on Christians.
According to Information Minister Mohammed Idris, the joint operation with the United States targeted Islamic State — linked militants operating near Nigeria’s northwestern border.
The strikes, conducted using MQ — 9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles, neutralized fighters attempting to infiltrate Nigeria from the Sahel corridor.
The minister emphasized that the operation focused on two significant Islamic State enclaves in the Bauni axis of Tangaza Local Government Area in Sokoto State.
Idris reported that 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed, with debris from expended munitions landing in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State. He confirmed that no civilian casualties were recorded, and security agencies swiftly secured the affected areas.
The US strikes represent a notable escalation in Nigeria’s ongoing battle against various armed groups.
The country faces multiple and overlapping security threats across its territory, including Islamic State affiliates in the northeast, where the Boko Haram insurgency persists despite over a decade of military operations.
In the northwest, lesser — known groups like the Lakurawa utilize extensive forested areas as hideouts, perpetrating raids on rural communities and security forces. While Nigerian authorities have welcomed the operation as a boost to counterterrorism efforts, analysts caution that the strikes are unlikely to resolve Nigeria’s deep-seated security challenges on their own.
This underscores the complexity of Nigeria’s fight against insurgency and armed criminality.
Further details are expected as the situation unfolds.
