U.S. forces conducted precision strikes on Islamic State–linked camps in Sokoto State on 25 December in coordination with Nigerian authorities. U.S. Africa Command said an initial assessment indicated multiple militants were killed, while Nigeria’s foreign ministry confirmed the action formed part of structured security cooperation. Casualty figures remain unverified pending further assessment.
President Donald Trump described the operation as powerful and deadly, framing the targets as perpetrators of killings of Christians. Nigerian officials reiterated that the mission was part of counter‑terrorism cooperation and not directed at any religion.
Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar stated that Nigerian intelligence supported planning and that further joint actions remain possible. He said the timing had no link to Christmas and stressed that the priority is degrading terrorist capacity, not advancing sectarian narratives.
Residents in Jabo, south of the reported camps, described flashes in the night sky and cordoned farmland, with no immediate casualty reports from that location. Local officials referenced strikes on Islamic State–linked sites but did not provide verified tolls.
AFRICOM said the strikes were undertaken at the President’s direction and in coordination with Nigerian authorities. While neither government disclosed platforms used, independent reporting indicated cruise missiles were launched from a U.S. Navy vessel in the Gulf of Guinea.
The targets are assessed as elements of Islamic State Sahel Province, known locally as Lakurawa, which has developed positions in Sokoto and neighbouring Kebbi in recent years. Analysts report the faction has enforced coercive rules and staged raids into rural communities in the northwest.
Under U.S. domestic law, operations against ISIS typically rely on the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force alongside the President’s Article II powers. Past War Powers reports and congressional discussions have referenced Nigeria among theatres for deployments, and a formal notification to Congress would ordinarily follow within 48 hours of such action.
In international law terms, Nigeria’s consent is central. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the action formed part of a lawful, intelligence‑led partnership consistent with sovereignty, and the Defence Headquarters confirmed federal approval for the joint strikes. Abuja highlighted civilian‑protection commitments.
The strikes come weeks after the United States designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” for religious freedom, a move welcomed by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom on 3 November 2025. Under the International Religious Freedom Act, CPC designations trigger a requirement to apply, substitute or waive measures-potentially including targeted sanctions-within defined timelines.
Framing Nigeria’s crisis strictly as sectarian is contested by data. Independent analyses indicate that while faith‑targeted incidents occur, most victims of overall conflict in the north are Muslims and religion‑targeted events constitute a small share of recorded violence. Nigerian officials maintain the state responds to threats against all communities.
The Sokoto action follows a large U.S. operation against ISIS in Syria on 19 December in which U.S. Central Command reported striking more than 70 targets with Jordanian air support. The sequence underscores a more assertive counter‑ISIS posture at the end of 2025.
Immediate implications for Nigeria include disruption of cells attempting to entrench in the northwest and a heightened risk of retaliatory attacks on soft targets. Abuja has signalled additional joint operations are possible and reiterated commitments on civilian harm mitigation.
For U.S. policymakers, watchpoints include any War Powers notification to Congress, further AFRICOM detail on effects against target sets, and decisions on measures following Nigeria’s CPC designation. These choices will shape the cadence of joint activity and the tone of bilateral engagement into early 2026.