The US launched a “powerful and deadly strike” against jihadists in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day, according to President Donald Trump.
He said the targets were “terrorist scum” linked to the Islamic State (IS) group who were “viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”.
In a social media post late on Thursday, Trump said the US military “executed numerous perfect strikes”, while the US Africa Command later reported that the attack was carried out in co-ordination with Nigerian forces in Sokoto state.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the BBC it was a “joint operation” targeting “terrorists”, and it “has nothing to do with a particular religion”.
Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, saying this depended on “decisions to be taken by the leadership of the two countries”.
In his post, Trump said that “under my leadership, our country will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to prosper”. In November, he ordered the US military to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups.
Although the post did not specify particular killings, claims of a genocide against Nigeria’s Christians have been circulating in recent months in conservative US circles.
Meanwhile, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said in a social media post on Thursday he was “grateful for Nigerian government support and cooperation”, adding: “Merry Christmas!”
The US Department of Defence later posted an unclassified short video that appeared to show a missile being launched from a military vessel. Last week, the US said it carried out a “massive strike” against more than 70 IS targets in Syria with support from Jordan.
On Friday morning, the Nigerian foreign ministry said in a statement that the country’s authorities “remain engaged in structured security co-operation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorist and violent extremism”.
“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the north west,” it said.
Following Trump’s warnings in November, an adviser to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu told the BBC that any military action against the jihadist groups should be carried out in cooperation with the government.
Daniel Bwala said Nigeria would welcome US help in tackling the Islamist insurgents but insisted it was a “sovereign” country. He also maintained that the jihadists were not targeting members of a particular religion.
Human rights groups monitoring violence in the region say there is no evidence to suggest that Christians are being killed more than Muslims, which each account for roughly half of Nigeria’s population.
In his Christmas message, the Bishop of Sokoto Matthew Hassan Kukah called on Nigerian leaders to address the suffering of ordinary citizens caused by crime and insecurity.
“In the midst of the darkness of our circumstances, we strongly urge our leaders to strengthen their resolve towards ameliorating the sufferings that challenge our faith,” he said on Christmas Day. “We may not have enough to feed the greed of our elite, but there is enough to feed our people.”
Bishop Kukah has disputed claims of genocide in Nigeria, but in his message said banditry, armed robbery and kidnapping blight the country, and he is asking citizens to pray for the families of those affected by them. He emphasised that the perpetrators are “among us”, products of failures to address poverty and hardship.
“In this holy season of Christmas, let us remember that the Lord heals our wounds and mends our broken hearts (Psalm 147:3). Like the shepherds in the fields, we pray that millions of our brethren stranded in refugee camps or forests may hear the good news that joy has come into the world,” he said.
“We do not celebrate Christmas as a feast or a date on our calendar. We celebrate it as a vocation. Our duty is to let the world see and experience the face of Jesus. Let us do that by our lives of love. Let us embrace peace and seek reconciliation.”
President Tinubu has insisted there is religious tolerance in the country and said the security challenges were affecting people “across faiths and regions”.
Trump previously announced he had designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” under religious freedom legislation because of the “existential threat” posed to its Christian population. He said “thousands” had been killed, without providing evidence.
The designation, used by the US State Department, provides for sanctions against countries “engaged in severe violations of religious freedom”.
Following this announcement, Tinubu said his government was committed to working with the US and the international community to protect communities of all faiths.
Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and IS West Africa Province have been active in north-eastern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands of people. According to Acled, a group which analyses political violence around the world, most of their victims have been Muslims. In central Nigeria, there are frequent clashes between mostly Muslim herders and farming groups, who are often Christian, over access to water and pasture.
The Archbishop of Lagos Alfred Adewale Martins urged Nigerians to give thanks for their survival despite widespread violence and instability, in a message issued on Christmas Eve. He warned the authorities to remember that they would give an account of their stewardship to God.
“We must also insist that everyone, especially those in government at all levels and all politicians should work intentionally, in order to generate hope in our people,” he said, “not simply by empty platitudes, but in courageous and meaningful action to stem the tide of fear and criminal activities in the land.”
He continued: “While we are not oblivious of the efforts being made by the government, we must also admit that the present reality of insecurity and pervasive fear have made it almost impossible for the average Nigerian to thrive or even dream with confidence.
“We must continue to challenge the nation’s leadership to urgently bring an end to the kidnappings and killings and so give assurance to communities of people who feel that they are being targeted and under siege by criminal elements in the country.
“Our citizens do not need mere promises but decisive action that secures our farms, our roads, our schools and our places of worship. After all said and done, the primary duty of the state is to protect the life and properties of her citizens.”
He said that because Christmas marked “God’s definitive entry into a world of struggle and a potent intervention in human history”, Christian hope becomes “a call to embody his presence here and now as we show love, empathy and kindness towards one another”.
“We must all remember that the true essence of this season lies in a selflessness that fights for justice, a humility that serves the broken among us, and a love that dismantles walls of division. The national transformation that we long for will surely come,” he said.
“We must learn to live at peace with one another, irrespective of religion, tribe, or political affiliation. Let this Christmas be a turning point. Let us put aside hatred, embrace our shared humanity, and work tirelessly to build a Nigeria where every person can live with dignity, free from fear and oppression. Let us build bridges, not walls.
“The light of Christ, shining in our hearts and actions, is the sure foundation for the brighter future we all seek.”