US Conducts Strikes Against IS Militants in Nigeria Amid Complex Security Crisis
On Christmas Day, former US President Donald Trump announced strikes on Islamic State militants in northern Nigeria, describing the action as targeting those "viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians." The US Defense Department confirmed the strikes were carried out with the cooperation and approval of Nigeria's government, with Nigeria's foreign ministry highlighting intelligence sharing and strategic coordination between the two nations.
Trump had earlier designated Nigeria as a "country of particular concern" under the US International Religious Freedom Act and initiated Pentagon planning for potential measures to halt killings of Christians. These strikes align with claims by US right-wing figures, including Senator Ted Cruz, advocating sanctions on Nigerian officials over alleged persecution of Christians.
However, Nigeria's religious demographics are complex, comprising roughly 53% Muslim and 45% Christian populations. Violence in the region is multifactorial, involving disputes over land between herders and farmers, as well as kidnappings driven by financial motives. Nigeria's foreign ministry praised US cooperation but rejected characterizing the strikes as related to Christian persecution. President Bola Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria is not religiously intolerant and guarantees freedom to all faiths.
The broader security context includes an ongoing Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency in the northeast, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions. In addition, banditry in the northwest leads to kidnappings and raids affecting various communities, underlining the complex and multifaceted nature of violence in Nigeria.
