Overview
- AFRICOM and Abuja say the December 25 strikes in Sokoto were executed with Nigerian approval and involvement, with President Bola Tinubu giving the go‑ahead after consultations with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- U.S. naval assets fired Tomahawk missiles from the Gulf of Guinea and at least 16 GPS‑guided munitions were used, with debris reported in Jabo, Sokoto, and Offa, Kwara, where property was damaged but no injuries were reported.
- Nigerian officials identified targets in the Bauni forest of Tangaza as ISIS enclaves, while analysts point to the locally rooted Lakurawa group and note uncertainty over whether it aligns with ISIS or al‑Qaeda networks.
- President Trump framed the action as protecting Christians; Nigerian officials and security researchers counter that violence in the northwest is complex and often indiscriminate, affecting Muslims and Christians alike.
- Public reaction remains split, with some Nigerian Christian bodies praising the strikes and religious leaders such as Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah warning of politicization and blowback, as U.S. officials hint at continued counterterrorism cooperation.