Nigeria Confirms It Supplied Key Information for Recent Airstrikes as US Official Predicts of More Operations

Nigeria's foreign ministry has announced that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation carried out on December 25, according to the country's foreign minister this week.

Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks against Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the organization for attacking Christian communities.

Extensive Discussions Preceded the Operation

Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had held "extensive" discussions with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the attack.

He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had given the "go-ahead" for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, characterizing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include other countries.

"The strikes had no connection to a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."

American Official Predicts of More 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 characterized the action as part of efforts to stop the killing of Christians, a position echoed by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "The president was clear... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."

Supporters' Response to the Military Action

The holiday military operation were met with praise by some supporters of the ex-leader, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.

"There is no a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," posted one prominent activist on social media.

Main Takeaways from the Revelations

• Cooperation: Nigeria supplied crucial information for the US-led operation.
• Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
• Ongoing Process: The operation is described as an "ongoing process" with potential for future actions.
• Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are focused on counter-terrorism, not religious affiliation.
• US Commitment: A senior US official has signaled further military actions are on the horizon.

This development underscores the complex security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in combating militant groups in the Sahel area.