US President Donald Trump has ordered powerful military strikes on ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria, saying the action was necessary to stop what he described as the “vicious killing” of innocent Christians by the terror group. Announcing the operation on Thursday, Trump said his administration would not allow “radical Islamic terrorism to prosper” under his leadership.
According to Trump, the strikes targeted ISIS militants who had been carrying out deadly attacks on civilian communities,P particularly Christians, in parts of Nigeria. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, the US President said he had earlier warned the militants to stop the violence, adding that failure to do so would lead to severe consequences.
“I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” Trump wrote, claiming the strikes were executed with precision by the US military.
The Nigerian government confirmed that the operation was carried out as part of ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States. Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry said the action involved intelligence sharing and strategic coordination aimed at countering terrorism and violent extremism. The ministry stressed that attacks on Christians, Muslims, or any community are unacceptable and go against Nigeria’s national values.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also acknowledged Nigeria’s cooperation, stating that the President had been clear that the killing of innocent civilians must end. The Pentagon later released a video appearing to show a projectile being launched from a US warship, though operational details were not disclosed.
Trump had previously warned of possible military action in October and November, claiming Christians in Nigeria faced an “existential threat.” Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier rejected accusations of religious intolerance, emphasizing that Nigeria’s constitution protects citizens of all faiths.
Nigeria’s population is roughly divided between Muslims, largely in the north, and Christians, mainly in the south, with security challenges persisting in several regions due to insurgency and extremist violence.
