US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he had ordered strikes against ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria, describing them as “terrorist scum” responsible for attacks on Christian populations. The president stated he had previously warned that the slaughter of Christians must come to an end.
The military operation came after Trump characterized violence against Nigerian Christians in October and November as an “existential threat” and potential “genocide.” The president had made explicit warnings that failure to stop the attacks would result in military consequences, threats that materialized into strikes conducted on Christmas Day.
In his announcement, Trump emphasized that the Department of War executed “numerous perfect strikes” against militants who had been viciously killing innocent Christians. He highlighted American military superiority and his administration’s commitment to preventing radical Islamic terrorism from flourishing. The president praised the operation’s precision.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the strikes as part of ongoing security cooperation between the two nations. The partnership includes intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to address militant groups operating in the region. Nigerian officials stressed that terrorist violence against any religious community contradicts the nation’s fundamental values.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude to Nigeria for enabling the operation and suggested that more strikes could follow. He noted that Trump had been clear last month that the killing of innocent Christians must end. The Pentagon released video footage showing weaponry being deployed from warships. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed, while cooperating on security issues, has emphasized that Nigeria’s constitution protects citizens of all faiths and that the country maintains its commitment to religious tolerance despite facing ongoing security challenges.