Following air strikes on terrorist targets in the North West region on Thursday, December 25, 2025, the federal government has declared that Nigeria remains engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States.
It said this has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West as part of the ongoing security and intelligence cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
These were contained in a statement on Friday, December 26, 2025 by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating that the Nigerian authorities remained engaged in “structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States of America,” to address terrorism and violent extremism in the country.
The statement which was signed Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson of the ministry, said the collaboration, which led to precision airstrikes on terrorist targets, involved intelligence sharing, strategic coordination and other forms of support in line with international law, respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and shared security commitments.
It further said; “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.
“Whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security,” it stated.
The federal government’ s explanation followed comments by United States President Donald Trump, who said on Thursday that US forces had carried out deadly strikes against Islamic State terrorists in Northwestern Nigeria.
The confirmation comes as the United States said it will be sending additional support to northern states to bolster surveillance, security operations and counter-terror efforts after the recent military action.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform saying; “Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,” he said.
Trump therefore warned that further attacks would follow if the killing of Christians continued, stressing that; “If they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.”
Similarly, the US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, in a separate social media post, said that Washington acted with Nigeria’s cooperation.
Hegseth said; “Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. The Department of War was always ready.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured that Nigeria would continue to work with its partners through established diplomatic and security channels to weaken terrorist networks, disrupt their financing and logistics, and prevent cross-border threats.
The U.S. airstrikes came a day after a bomb attack on a mosque in Maiduguri, Borno State which led to the death of five people with dozen others seriously injured in what authorities said was a suicide bombing.
