WEST PALM BEACH, Florida: After spending weeks accusing Nigeria's government of failing to rein in the persecution of Christians, President Donald Trump said on December 25 that the U.S. had launched a "powerful and deadly" strike against Islamic State forces in the West African country.
Trump did not provide details of the strike in his social media post on Christmas evening or mention the extent of the damage. But U.S. Africa Command said on X that strikes had been conducted "at the request of Nigerian authorities in Soboto State" and had killed "multiple ISIS terrorists."
"Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!" Trump wrote.
An anonymous source at the Defense Department said the governments of the U.S. and Nigeria worked together to conduct the strikes.
Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the cooperation included exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination in ways "consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty and shared commitments to regional and global security."
"Terrorist violence in any form, whether directed at Christians, Muslims or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria's values and to international peace and security," the ministry said in a statement.
Nigeria's government has previously brushed off Trump's criticisms by stating that people of many faiths, not just Christians, have been attacked by extremist groups.
Last month, Trump had ordered the Pentagon to plan for potential military action in Nigeria against Christian persecution. The State Department also announced visa restrictions for Nigerians and their family members involved in mass killings and violence against Christians there.
The United States has recently named Nigeria a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act.
Nigeria has a population of about 220 million, divided almost evenly between Christians and Muslims. The country has long struggled with insecurity from multiple sources, including the Boko Haram extremist group, which aims to impose its strict version of Islamic law and has also attacked Muslims it considers insufficiently observant.
Violence in Nigeria has many causes. Some attacks are driven by religion and target both Christians and Muslims, while others stem from clashes between farmers and herders over scarce resources, local communal disputes, separatist movements, and ethnic tensions.
At the same time, the U.S. military presence in Africa has declined, with partnerships reduced or ended. Any primary U.S. military intervention in Nigeria would likely require redeploying troops from other regions.
Despite this, former President Donald Trump continued to apply pressure as Nigeria experienced a wave of attacks on schools and churches, violence that experts and residents say has affected both Christians and Muslims.
