US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he had ordered strikes against ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria, targeting militants the president described as “terrorist scum” responsible for attacks on Christian communities. The operation came after the president warned terrorists to stop the slaughter or face consequences.
The military action followed Trump’s warnings from October and November characterizing violence against Nigerian Christians as an “existential threat” approaching genocidal proportions. The president had explicitly stated that failure to stop killing Christians would result in “hell to pay,” a warning fulfilled through strikes conducted on Christmas Day.
According to Trump’s statement, the Department of War executed “numerous perfect strikes” against militants who had been systematically killing innocent Christians. He emphasized American military superiority and his administration’s zero-tolerance policy toward radical Islamic terrorism. The president praised the operation’s precision and effectiveness.
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 combat terrorism and violent extremism in the region. Nigerian officials stressed that their government opposes terrorist violence against all religious communities.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed appreciation for Nigerian cooperation in enabling the strikes. He suggested that more operations might follow, noting that ISIS had learned this lesson on Christmas. The Pentagon released video footage showing weaponry being deployed from warships. While Nigerian President Bola Ahmed has cooperated with the security operation, he has also maintained that Nigeria’s constitution protects citizens of all faiths and that characterizations of religious intolerance do not reflect the country’s actual commitment to protecting all religious groups.