Dalena Reporters l December 26, 2025
The Federal Government of Nigeria has acknowledged that it provided crucial intelligence support and approved the United States’ airstrikes on terrorist targets in the country’s North-West region, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar confirmed during a media interview. Nigerian authorities said they were in direct communication with U.S. officials before the Christmas Day strikes conducted by American forces, underscoring that the military action was carried out as a joint counter-terrorism effort with the consent and cooperation of the Nigerian government.
According to Tuggar, Nigeria’s foreign ministry and leadership were actively involved in negotiations with the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, ahead of the operation, and President Bola Tinubu gave the formal go-ahead for the action after detailed discussions. The minister on Channels Television stressed that the attack was not motivated by religion but designed as part of broader ongoing joint security cooperation to combat terrorism in the country — a collaboration he said would continue with Nigeria and other partners.
The government statement emphasised that the intelligence sharing and strategic coordination with the U.S. remain consistent with international law and respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty, countering narratives that the strikes were unilateral or externally imposed. Authorities also reiterated that all counter-terrorism measures aim to protect Nigerians and uphold national unity without discrimination based on faith or ethnicity.
President Donald Trump had earlier announced the strikes, describing them as precise actions against militants responsible for violence in the region, including what he portrayed as attacks on civilian populations, particularly Christians. The Nigerian government’s confirmation of its role in authorising and facilitating the operation reflects ongoing security collaboration amid international and domestic debate over foreign military involvement.