From Sahara Reporters Punch and Vanguard
A Nigerian government source has revealed that the attacks carried out by the United States under President Donald Trump were largely coordinated through the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), headed by Nuhu Ribadu.
According to the source, internal intelligence units within the NSA’s office worked closely with the U.S. military, particularly the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), to identify and target ISIS-linked terrorist elements for what was described as their “elimination.” However, it remains unclear how many targets were struck or the full extent of the operation.
There are confirmed reports that an explosion occurred on the outskirts of Jibo village in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State
Meanwhile, the U.S. Africa Command issued a statement on social media confirming that it had carried out attacks on terrorist enclaves in northwest Nigeria. In its initial communication, AFRICOM misspelled Sokoto as “Soboto,” an error that was later corrected.
President Donald Trump has warned that more military attacks will follow if Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists continue killing Christians in Nigeria,
Trump made the disclosure on Thursday via his Truth Social platform, where he confirmed that U.S. forces carried out what he described as “numerous perfect strikes” against ISIS elements operating in North-West Nigeria.
“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,” Trump wrote.
He said the strikes followed earlier warnings issued to the terrorists to halt attacks on Christians or face severe consequences. “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,” he said.
Trump added that the U.S. Department of War executed the operation with precision, stressing America’s resolve to confront radical Islamic terrorism.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to prosper,” he stated.
In a Christmas message that underscored his warning, Trump said further attacks would occur if the killings persist. “May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists—of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has said Nigeria provided the intelligence that led to the United States’ airstrike on terrorist targets in the country and formally approved the operation before it was carried out.
According to the minister, the operation was the outcome of ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States and was not motivated by religious considerations.
He said, “It’s Nigeria that provided the intelligence. I was on the phone yesterday for 19 minutes with Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the United States. We spoke extensively, and we agreed that I was going to speak with President Tinubu for President Tinubu to give the go-ahead.
“And I did speak with him and it was agreed also that the statements that would follow would be statements that would show clearly that it is a strike against terrorism and that it is part of the ongoing joint operations between Nigeria and collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.”
Tuggar said Nigeria had long sought deeper collaboration with the United States and other countries to combat terrorism, describing the strike as a vindication of the Tinubu administration’s security strategy.
The minister added, “Nigeria has remained consistent in its approach, which is to work with all partners that are committed to the fight against terrorism, irrespective of what religion, who the victims are, whether they are Muslims or Christians, and irrespective of what type of terrorism, be it terrorism being carried out in the name of one religion or the other, or indeed even bandage. So this is an ongoing process. . . We have been working closely with the Americans. This is what we’ve always been hoping for: to work with the Americans, work with other countries to combat terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians. . . ”
Further details regarding Nigeria’s role in the operation, the scope of coordination, and the impact on civilians remain undisclosed.
