US Conducts Airstrike Against Islamic State Targets in Nigeria at Government's Request
The United States military has carried out a strike against Islamic State group targets in northwestern Nigeria, an operation both Washington and Abuja confirm was conducted at the formal request of the Nigerian government.
The strike, announced by the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), targeted ISIS affiliates in Sokoto State. It follows months of heightened rhetoric from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened unilateral military action to protect Christians in Nigeria, claiming they face a "genocide"—an assertion the Nigerian government firmly rejects.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump took credit for the operation, stating he ordered the U.S. military to launch "powerful and deadly" strikes. He framed the action as a response to the Islamist group's targeting of "primarily innocent Christians," which he claimed had reached unprecedented levels. "Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper," Trump wrote.
.@POTUS “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… pic.twitter.com/ct7rUW128t
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) December 26, 2025
Official channels from both nations presented the operation as a collaborative counter-terrorism effort. Pentagon spokesperson Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude for "the support and cooperation with the Nigerian government."
Nigeria's Foreign Ministry confirmed the "precision hits on terrorist targets," emphasizing that the government's actions are "guided by its intention to safeguard all citizens' life, regardless of faith." In a social media statement, it added that terrorism against any religious community "remains an affront on Nigeria's values and to international peace and security."
The strike occurs within a complex and lethal security landscape. Nigeria has been battling multiple Islamist insurgencies, primarily in its northern regions. According to Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission, at least 2,266 people were killed by bandits or insurgents in the first half of 2025 alone—a figure already surpassing the total for all of 2024.
While the specific target of the U.S. strike was not named, the northwestern Sokoto region has been a focus for both banditry and jihadist activity, including from Boko Haram. A more potent threat in recent years has been the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), a splinter group of Boko Haram active in the northeast, particularly in Borno State. ISWAP has also engaged in violent clashes with its parent organization.
The U.S. has recently taken other steps highlighting concerns over religious violence in Nigeria. The State Department recently announced intentions to restrict visas for Nigerian nationals involved in violence against Christians, and Washington has designated Nigeria a "Country of Particular Concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act.
