US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he had ordered strikes against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria, describing the militants as “terrorist scum” responsible for attacks on Christian communities. The president stated that he had previously warned terrorists there would be “hell to pay,” and Thursday’s strikes delivered on that promise.
The military operation followed warnings Trump issued in October and November characterizing violence against Nigerian Christians as an “existential threat” and potential “genocide.” The president had made explicit threats of military intervention if attacks continued, warnings that materialized into strikes conducted on Christmas Day.
In his announcement, Trump emphasized that the Department of War executed “numerous perfect strikes” against militants who had been viciously killing innocent Christians. He highlighted that only American forces possess such military capabilities and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to preventing radical Islamic terrorism from flourishing.
The Nigerian Foreign Ministry confirmed the strikes as part of established security cooperation with the United States. This partnership involves intelligence sharing and strategic planning to combat terrorism and violent extremism in the region. Nigerian officials stressed that their government opposes terrorist violence against all religious communities, whether Christian or Muslim.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude to Nigeria for enabling the operation and suggested that more strikes could follow. He noted that Trump had been clear about his intentions and that ISIS had learned this lesson on Christmas. The Pentagon released video footage showing projectiles 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.