The United States has carried out targeted military strikes against ISIS-linked positions in northwestern Nigeria, escalating Washington’s security engagement in West Africa amid rising concerns over extremist violence and religious persecution.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the operation was ordered in response to what he described as the systematic killing of Christians by militant groups operating in the region. In a statement posted on social media, Trump characterized the attack as a “powerful and lethal strike”, warning that further action could follow.
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) later confirmed the operation, stating that the strikes were conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities and resulted in the deaths of multiple ISIS fighters. Nigerian officials have not publicly disclosed details of the casualties or the precise locations targeted.
Despite Nigeria’s status as a major oil producer and member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), global oil markets showed little immediate reaction, with prices remaining largely stable amid thin holiday trading.
Analysts say the muted response reflects confidence that Nigeria’s oil infrastructure was not directly affected, even as the operation underscores growing geopolitical risks tied to security instability in energy-producing regions.
The strike follows earlier warnings from Trump, who in November threatened potential U.S. military intervention if Nigerian authorities failed to halt attacks on Christian communities. Those remarks briefly rattled Nigerian dollar-denominated bonds, highlighting investor sensitivity to U.S. policy signals.
“Nigeria has been killing Christians at levels not seen in years, perhaps centuries,” Trump said in his latest statement, adding that militants had been explicitly warned of consequences if the violence continued.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced the administration’s message on Thursday, saying “more is coming” if extremist groups persist in targeting civilians in Nigeria or elsewhere.
Nigeria’s government has previously rejected claims that the country tolerates religious persecution. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has resisted Washington’s designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” for religious freedom, arguing that extremist violence affects both Christian and Muslim communities.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with roughly 230 million people, has long struggled with Islamist insurgencies, including Boko Haram and ISIS-affiliated factions, particularly in the northeast. Recent months have seen intensified attacks on military bases and civilian targets.
On Wednesday night, Nigerian police said suspected Boko Haram militants detonated an explosive device inside a mosque in the city of Maiduguri, killing at least five people, underscoring the complex and multi-sided nature of the conflict.
The Nigeria strikes form part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to demonstrate U.S. military resolve globally, even as the president has repeatedly pledged to limit long-term foreign entanglements.
In recent weeks, U.S. forces have conducted large-scale airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria, while Washington has also expanded military activity in the Caribbean, including aggressive enforcement actions against sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments.
Critics argue that some of these operations stretch legal boundaries, particularly maritime interdictions near Venezuela. The White House has declined to comment on the specific legal frameworks governing the latest actions.
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