US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he had ordered strikes against ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria, describing the militants as “terrorist scum” responsible for attacks on Christian communities. The operation came after months of warnings about an existential threat to religious minorities in the region.
The military action followed Trump’s characterization in October and November of violence against Nigerian Christians as an “existential threat” approaching genocidal levels. The president had explicitly threatened military intervention if attacks continued, warnings that have now been backed by concrete action conducted on Christmas Day.
In his statement, Trump emphasized that the Department of War executed precision strikes against militants who had been systematically killing innocent Christians. He highlighted American military superiority and his administration’s zero-tolerance policy toward radical Islamic terrorism. The president praised the operation as demonstrating unique capabilities.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the strikes as part of established security cooperation with the United States. This collaboration involves intelligence sharing and strategic planning to address terrorism and violent extremism in the region. Nigerian officials made clear that their government opposes terrorist violence against all religious groups.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude to Nigeria for enabling the operation and indicated that more strikes could follow. He noted that Trump had been clear about his intentions to protect Christians. The Pentagon provided video evidence showing missiles launching from warships. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed, while cooperating on security issues, has emphasized that Nigeria’s constitution protects citizens of all faiths and that characterizations of religious intolerance do not accurately represent the nation’s commitment to protecting all religious communities.