U.S. President Trump has confirmed the U.S. carried out strikes against ISIS fighters in north-western Nigeria and warned that there is “more to come” amid false allegations of a “Christian genocide.”
Camps run by the group in Nigeria’s Sokoto state, which lies on the border with Niger, were hit, the U.S. military said, adding that an “initial assessment” suggested multiple fatalities.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the Christmas Day strikes were “powerful and deadly” and labelled the group “terrorist scum,” saying it had been “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.”
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries.
“I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.”
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a post on X that it launched the strikes “at the request of Nigerian authorities” in Sokoto State, “killing multiple ISIS terrorists.”
“Lethal strikes against ISIS demonstrate the strength of our military and our commitment to eliminating terrorist threats against Americans at home and abroad,” it added.
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U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also commented on the strikes in a post on X, saying: “The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end. The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come…Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
A Christian genocide?
Numerous American right-wing figureheads have claimed that a genocide is being committed against Christians in Nigeria, but this could not be further from the truth according to locals, Nigerian leaders and journalists on the ground.
The claim has gained significant momentum, particularly in the U.S., where political figures such as President Trump and Republican senator Ted Cruz have used it to justify foreign policy pressure.
Trump recently claimed Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria and accused “Islamic terrorists” of committing “mass slaughter.”
He threatened to cut off U.S. aid and ordered the “Department of War” to prepare for possible action, stating: “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet.” Cruz introduced a bill to sanction Nigerian officials, alleging they enable “Islamist violence.”
Commentators such as Bill Maher have amplified these claims, repeating unfounded assertions that Christians are being systematically exterminated. “This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza. They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country,” Maher said.
Terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and its off shoot ISWAP (Islamic State in West Africa Province) have indeed claimed responsibility for high-profile attacks on churches and Christian-majority villages.
However, most victims of the violent activists of these groups remains Muslim Nigerians according to experts.
Boko Haram first emerged in Nigeria’s Muslim-majority northeast, where it has killed tens of thousands of Nigerian Muslims, including countless scholars and civilians it deemed apostates.
The most recent example of the terror Nigerian Muslims face occurred this week.
At least five people were killed and 35 injured last Wednesday in a bomb explosion at a mosque during evening prayers in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state.
According to a police statement, authorities suspect the explosion in Maiduguri, the state capital, resulted from a suicide bombing, based on witness statements and the recovery of fragments from a suspected suicide bomber vest.
Nigeria working with U.S. (under pressure)
Nigeria confirmed early Friday that it continues to collaborate with the U.S. in the field of security to address the ongoing threat of terrorism and violent extremism.
The statement issued by the Foreign Ministry came after US strikes against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria confirms that Nigerian authorities remain engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism. This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by airstrikes in the North West.
“In line with established international practice and bilateral understandings, this cooperation includes the exchange of intelligence, strategic coordination, and other forms of support consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared commitments to regional and global security.”
The statement reaffirmed that Nigeria’s counterterrorism actions prioritise the protection of civilians, the preservation of national unity, and the respect for the rights and dignity of all citizens, regardless of religion or ethnicity.
African journalist Yousra Elbagir told Sky News that Nigeria now has to balance its relationship with the U.S. to facilitate Trump’s desire to act as champion of local Christians but without feeding into the false claims of a “genocide.”
“I think the Nigerian government is in a very difficult position. It may be welcoming this coordination with the U.S. and trying to get ahead of their terrorism problem – their ISIS problem, that they’ve suffered from for many years, but still not wanting to kind of confirm these claims that Christians in Nigeria are persecuted more than any other religious group.”
Muslim communities, she pointed out, have been targeted as “violently and viciously” as their Christian neighbours have been.
“So, I think it’s a difficult time, where these strikes are obviously going to be loudly celebrated by the Trump administration, where Nigerian authorities want to increase coordination, cooperation. But, also, they don’t want to confirm or give any credibility to claims of a Christian genocide that are simply not true.”
