President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform that the United States launched a “powerful and deadly strike” against ISIS terrorists in Nigeria, who he stated have been targeting and killing primarily innocent Christians, Baltimore Chronicle with reference to official statements from the Department of Defense. The operation follows earlier warnings from Trump in November, when he posted a video threatening to enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” in response to attacks on Christians. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also confirmed preparations for action at that time.
In his post, Trump emphasized that the terrorists had previously been warned that continued attacks on Christians would have severe consequences, stating that the Department of War executed “numerous perfect strikes” during the operation. The precise targets and the outcomes of the strike have not been independently verified. ABC News has requested additional information from the White House regarding the strike.
Hegseth, in a subsequent social media post, indicated that “more to come” is expected and expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation. He reinforced that the administration remains committed to preventing further attacks on Christians, stating, “The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas,” concluding his message with “Merry Christmas!”
U.S. Africa Command confirmed the strikes on X, noting that they were conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities. The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja released a statement explaining that the operations were part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States and other partners to combat ISIS and extremist groups. The ministry added that this collaboration involves intelligence sharing, strategic coordination, and support consistent with international law, sovereignty, and regional security commitments.
The Pentagon also shared an unclassified video clip depicting a missile launch from a ship, presumably targeting ISIS positions in Nigeria. This strike comes shortly after U.S. strikes on ISIS targets in Syria, following an attack on U.S. and partner forces earlier this month that killed three Americans.
Trump had instructed the Pentagon in November to prepare potential actions against Nigeria, citing the government’s insufficient measures to protect Christians from violence. When asked about the possibility of U.S. ground troops in Nigeria, Trump replied, “Could be,” emphasizing the urgency to stop large-scale killings of Christians.
Recently, the U.S. designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” due to alleged severe violations of religious freedom and persecution of Christians. Nigeria has also been added to the U.S. travel ban list with partial restrictions. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu acknowledged the violence against Christians but rejected claims of religious intolerance as not reflecting national reality. Experts note that extremist groups in Nigeria have targeted both Muslims and Christians, causing tens of thousands of civilian deaths in recent years. On Christmas Eve, Tinubu posted on X that he prayed for peace and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting all Nigerians, regardless of religious belief.
Earlier we wrote that supreme Court blocks Trump’s plan to deploy National Guard in Chicago over immigration.
