The Federal Government (FG) has clarified that the recent U.S. military airstrikes against terrorists in the North-Western region were carried out with the full approval and coordination of President Bola Tinubu.
Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar made the disclosure on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
His statement follows announcements from the U.S. Department of War and President Donald Trump that American forces successfully targeted terrorist elements in the region on Christmas Day.
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In response to concerns that foreign military action might infringe on Nigeria’s territorial integrity, Tuggar emphasised that the strikes were the result of “structured security cooperation.”
He revealed that Nigeria played a foundational role in the mission by providing the necessary intelligence.
“It is a collaboration; it is what we have been calling for. It was Nigeria that provided intelligence for the U.S. strike in Nigeria,” Tuggar explained.
The minister outlined the diplomatic timeline leading up to the operation. He said Nigeria first identified specific targets and shared the intelligence with U.S. partners.
He said this was followed by a 19-minute conversation between Tuggar and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio before the strike. According to him, after this discussion, Tinubu was consulted and given the go-ahead for the operation.
He added that a five-minute confirmation call took place between Tuggar and Rubio just before the launch.
Addressing the framing of the strikes, Tuggar noted that Tinubu insisted that the mission be identified as a joint operation and not one targeting any specific faith.
While U.S. officials highlighted the protection of Christian communities, the Nigerian government reiterated that terrorism impacts all Nigerians indiscriminately.
“We are a multi-religious country, and we are working with partners like the U.S. to fight terrorism and safeguard the lives and properties of Nigerians,” Tuggar stated.
He added that the President’s directive was clear: the operation is against terrorists, not religions.
He reassured the public that the FG remains committed to protecting the nation’s sovereignty.
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He described the U.S. cooperation as a positive shift in international relations that strengthens Nigeria’s internal efforts to secure the North-Western states of Sokoto and Kaduna.
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that multiple ISIS-linked terrorists were killed in the “precision hits,” which were executed at the behest of the Nigerian authorities to degrade the capability of violent extremist groups in the region.
