The United States military recently carried out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria, including Sokoto state. The mission aims to end the daily violence perpetrated by the hardline militant group. Coordination with Nigerian authorities must focus on protecting vulnerable Christian populations in the region. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has recently warned. He affirmed that more strikes like these will be taken as part of a continuing effort to address new and emerging extremist threats.
The airstrikes followed an intensive period of Nigerian support, including a signal intelligence collection and analysis, which contributed to the military operation. Even former-POTUS Trump condemned the strikes as justified. He believes they are essential to prevent the slaughter of Christians by what he calls “ISIS Terrorist Scum.” He reëstablished the seriousness of the violence, stating that it has been at the highest levels in modern history.
“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!” – Donald Trump
Sokoto state, historically a bastion of Muslim scholarship and very conservative, has probably seen the most unrest sparked by Islamic State affiliates. The region’s demographic distribution, with Muslims at about 53% and Christians at 45%, highlights the conflict’s multifaceted nature. Though Nigeria is constitutionally a secular country, divisions between the Muslim north and Christian south have frequently grown into deadly conflict.
On top of the airstrikes, the memories of a tragic accident that killed innocent children last Christmas still weigh. The Nigerian Air Force mistakenly bombed an area near Jabo, resulting in casualties and raising concerns about military oversight and precision. This earlier event has increased scrutiny on what’s happening with the current operations.
Nigerian officials, perhaps most notably Minister Yusuf Tuggar, emphasized that the airstrikes carried out most recently were the product of that collaboration. He stated that the mission’s focus was on “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” emphasizing that it was not solely directed at one religious group. Commenting on the ongoing hostilities, Tuggar implied that this operation serves as “a new phase of an old conflict.”
“You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.” – Yusuf Tuggar
The US established the command center at an airport in the US’s neighboring country Ghana. This seems like a smart move to help address the growing threat from Islamic State affiliates operating inside Nigeria. According to Human Rights Watch reports, the airstrikes killed at minimum five civilians. Further, more than thirty people were gravely injured from another suicide bombing carried out on a mosque in northeast Nigeria on Christmas Eve.
Community members have told us of their fears and concerns as they’ve watched violence spike to alarming levels. Abubakar Sani, a resident in one of the impacted neighborhoods, described experiences of “extreme heat” from the attacks. He demanded more protection from the Nigerian government, asserting that citizens have never faced such violent clashes.
“The Nigerian government should take appropriate measures to protect us as citizens. We have never experienced anything like this before.” – Abubakar Sani
U.S. military’s Africa Command, Africom, confirmed that the U.S. conducted operations in Sokoto state. In any case, they didn’t carry out the missions indiscriminately—they coordinated closely with Nigerian authorities to improve targeting effectiveness and minimize collateral damage. While these operations continue, the world is watching the humanitarian impact with dismay. Beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis, they are concerned about the longer-term security implications for Nigeria.