President Donald Trump said he had ordered the US military to launch "powerful and deadly" strikes against targets of the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS) group in northwestern Nigeria.

The strike comes after months of Trump threatening military action against what he labeled an "existential threat" to Christianity in Nigeria, a claim that the country's government rejects.

The US military's Africa Command (AFCOM) said the strike had been conducted at the request of the Nigerian authorities in the northwestern Sokoto State.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said he was "grateful" for the support and cooperation with the Nigerian government.

What has Nigeria said about the US strike?

Nigeria's Foreign Ministry confirmed the "precision hits on terrorist targets," adding that the government is guided by its intention to safeguard all citizens' life, regardless of faith. 

According to a statement posted on social media, terrorism against any of the country's religious communities "remains an affront on Nigeria's values and  to international peace and security."

Analysts have said Nigeria's security crisis affects both Christians, who live mainly in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said the anti-terrorist operation had "nothing to do with a particular religion." Tuggar did not rule out further attacks.

“It's Nigeria that provided the intelligence," he told broadcaster Channels TV.

Tuggar said he was on the phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of the bombardment. "It is an ongoing thing, and we are working with the US. We are working with other countries as well."

Why did the US launch strike in Nigeria?

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the reason for the strike was the Islamist group's targeting of "primarily innocent Christians," which he said had reached levels "never seen for many years."

"Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper," Trump's post read.

The US State Department recently announced its intention to restrict visas for Nigerian nationals involved in violence against Christians in the country.

Washington also designated Nigeria a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Which militant groups are active in northern Nigeria?

Nigeria has been battling a deadly Islamist insurgency in its northern regions.

According to Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission, at least 2,266 people were killed by bandits or insurgents in Nigeria during the first half of 2025 — surpassing the total number of such deaths in all of 2024.

Particularly Boko Haram has concentrated their attacks in the northwestern state of Sokoto.

A splinter group known as the Islamic State in West Africa Province (Iswap) has also carried out attacks in northeastern Nigeria, particularly in the Borno state.

Iswap has also been involved in clashes with Boko Haram, as it is one of at least three Boko Haram splinter groups active in Nigeria.

 

Edited by: Farah Bahgat, Louis Oelofse