The Federal Government has confirmed that recent airstrikes targeting terrorist elements in Nigeria’s North-West were carried out through ongoing security and intelligence cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
The confirmation followed claims by United States President Donald Trump that American forces had launched what he described as “powerful and deadly strikes” against Islamic State fighters operating in the region.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said Nigeria remains engaged in “structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States of America,” to counter terrorism and violent extremism.
According to the ministry, the collaboration involves intelligence sharing, strategic coordination and other forms of operational support, leading to “precision airstrikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North West,” conducted in line with international law and with full respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty.
“Nigeria reiterates that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the primacy of protecting civilian lives, safeguarding national unity, and upholding the rights and dignity of all citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity,” the statement said.
The ministry stressed that terrorist violence remains unacceptable regardless of the religious or ethnic identity of victims, describing such acts as an affront to Nigeria’s values and international peace and security.
The clarification followed a post by President Trump on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, in which he said US forces had struck Islamic State targets in north-western 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,” Trump wrote, alleging that the group had been targeting Christians.
Trump further warned of additional military action if such attacks continued.
In a separate post, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation was conducted with Nigeria’s cooperation, expressing appreciation for the support of Nigerian authorities.
“Grateful for Nigerian government support and cooperation,” Hegseth stated.
The Nigerian government, however, maintained that extremist groups operating in the country attack civilians across religious and ethnic lines, a position consistently supported by conflict monitoring organisations and human rights groups.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nigeria would continue to work with its international partners through established diplomatic and security channels to weaken terrorist networks, disrupt their financing and logistics, and prevent cross-border threats.
The confirmation of the airstrikes came amid heightened security concerns following a bomb attack on a mosque in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Wednesday, which killed five people and injured several others. Authorities suspect the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber linked to terrorist groups operating in the region.
The ministry said the Federal Government would keep the public informed through appropriate official channels as counter-terrorism efforts continue.
