United States President Donald Trump has announced that U.S. forces carried out airstrikes against what he described as terrorist targets in northern Nigeria, marking what he said was America’s first direct military action in the West African country.
In a statement posted late Thursday on his social media platform, Truth Social, Mr Trump said the strikes were directed at ISIS-linked elements operating in north-western Nigeria and accused the group of targeting Christian communities.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorists in north-west Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians,” Mr Trump wrote.
The announcement followed reports earlier this week that the United States had been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over Nigerian airspace since November. Those operations reportedly came after Mr Trump publicly threatened military action against terrorist groups accused of killing Christians in parts of Nigeria.
Mr Trump said he had previously warned the militants to halt the attacks, adding that the strikes were intended as a response to continued violence.
“I warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughter of Christians, there would be consequences, and tonight, there were,” he said. “Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to prosper.”
It remained unclear on Thursday night whether the Nigerian government authorised the strikes or was formally involved in the operation. Mr Trump’s statement did not indicate whether approval had been sought or granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or Nigerian security authorities.
A spokesperson for the Nigerian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the development.
The announcement is likely to raise significant diplomatic and security questions, particularly concerning Nigeria’s sovereignty and the coordination of counterterrorism efforts between Abuja and Washington.