US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he had authorized what he described as “perfect strikes” against ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria, targeting what he called “terrorist scum” responsible for attacks on Christian communities. The president emphasized the precision and effectiveness of American military operations.
The military action followed Trump’s warnings issued in October and November characterizing violence against Nigerian Christians as an “existential threat” and potential “genocide.” The president had explicitly threatened military intervention if attacks continued, warnings that materialized into strikes conducted on Christmas Day.
In his statement, Trump detailed that the Department of War executed multiple precision strikes against militants who had been systematically killing innocent Christians. He emphasized that only the United States possesses such military capabilities and reaffirmed his administration’s zero-tolerance stance toward radical Islamic terrorism.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the operation as part of established security cooperation between the two nations. The partnership includes intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to combat terrorism and violent extremism in the region. Nigerian officials stressed that terrorist violence against any religious community represents an affront to the country’s values.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude to Nigeria for enabling the strikes and suggested that more operations could follow. He noted that ISIS had learned a lesson on Christmas. The Pentagon released video footage showing missiles launching from warships. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed, while cooperating on security matters, 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.