Nigeria and the United States carried out a joint counterterrorism operation in Sokoto State, deploying 16 GPS-guided precision munitions to strike Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist camps, the Federal Government has confirmed.
In a statement on Friday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the operation was authorised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and executed under Nigeria’s established military command-and-control framework, with the full involvement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
According to Idris, the strikes were conducted between 12:12 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. on Friday, December 26, using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial platforms.
The targets were two major ISIS assembly and staging grounds located within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area, Sokoto State.
He said intelligence assessments confirmed the camps were being used by foreign ISIS fighters working with local affiliates to plan large-scale attacks within Nigeria, particularly along the Sahel infiltration corridor.
“The precision strikes neutralised ISIS elements attempting to penetrate Nigeria from the Sahel region,” Idris said, adding that the operation followed extensive intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and operational planning.
The minister disclosed that the munitions were launched from maritime platforms in the Gulf of Guinea.
He also confirmed that debris from expended weapons fell in Jabo area of Tambuwal Local Government Area, Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State, near a hotel.
“No civilian casualties were recorded, and security agencies immediately secured the affected locations,” he said.
Reaffirming the government’s position, Idris stressed that Nigeria remains firmly in control of its national security architecture and is committed to eliminating terrorist threats.
“The Federal Government reiterates its unwavering resolve to confront, degrade and eliminate terrorist networks, particularly transnational extremist groups seeking to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty and security,” he stated.
Earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed that Nigeria provided intelligence support for the operation and formally approved the strikes, insisting they did not violate the country’s sovereignty.
“It was Nigeria that provided the intelligence,” Tuggar said, noting that the action was strictly a counterterrorism operation and not targeted at any religious group.
He added that he personally sought and obtained President Tinubu’s approval following consultations with United States officials.
US President Donald Trump later confirmed authorising the strikes against ISIS camps in north-west Nigeria, with the US military reporting that bases near the Niger border were hit and initial assessments indicating multiple fatalities.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised Nigeria’s cooperation and suggested further actions could follow, describing the operation as a response to extremist violence.
Nigeria reiterated its commitment to working with strategic partners to ensure lasting peace, border security and regional stability, while urging citizens to remain calm and vigilant as security operations continue.