Nigeria Discloses It Provided Intelligence for US-Led Airstrikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of More Operations
Nigeria's government has stated that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation conducted on December 25, according to the country's foreign minister on Friday.
Former President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks against ISIS militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks decrying the organization for attacking Christians.
Detailed Consultations Preceded the Military Action
Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had held "lengthy" discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both prior to and following the attack.
He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had given the "go-ahead" for the military action. Tuggar left the door open for further strikes, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would also involve international partners.
"This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an interview with the BBC. "It is to do with attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians."
American Official Predicts of Further Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians, a stance echoed by the former president. In a public statement, 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 met with praise by some political allies of the former president, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.
"I can’t think of a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," commented one prominent activist on a digital platform.
Key Points from the Revelations
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the American operation.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the strikes.
- Ongoing Process: The campaign is viewed as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of more strikes.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are focused on combating militants, not religion.
- American Stance: A senior US defense leader has indicated further strikes are likely.
This development highlights the evolving security cooperation between Nigeria and the US in combating terrorist threats in the Sahel area.
